A Disappointing Experience with Borofka's Burnsville After Years of Loyalty…read more
My husband and I have been going to Borofka's Furniture in Burnsville, MN for many years. Throughout our visits, the sales staff were consistently pleasant and professional, which is why we were excited to finally make a significant purchase in September 2025.
The Promising Beginning
We had previously spoken with store manager Martin Thorpe and were genuinely impressed by his professionalism and attentiveness. When we returned in September, we were pleased to see Martin still on staff and looked forward to working with him. He exceeded our initial expectations by visiting our home to assess our living room layout personally, then returning to the store to prepare a thoughtful presentation tailored to our needs.
We appreciated his approach and went home to carefully consider our options. On September 23, 2025, we returned to finalize our purchase and select materials. Throughout this process, Martin was polite and reassuring. We were so impressed that when our daughter expressed interest in purchasing furniture, we enthusiastically recommended Martin. He welcomed the opportunity to help her and asked her to visit the showroom. While scheduling conflicts prevented that visit from happening immediately, Martin was understanding and gracious about the delay.
During the sales process, Martin made a specific commitment that gave us confidence in our nearly $10,000 investment: he assured us he would personally attend the delivery to ensure the furniture was arranged according to our agreed-upon plan.
Where the Experience Fell Apart
The initial six-week delivery timeline was extended by a couple of weeks due to high order volume during a promotion--an understandable delay that we accepted without complaint. However, communication became increasingly problematic. When my husband stopped by the store about a week before Thanksgiving to check on our order, Martin mentioned the manufacturer was slow to respond and communicated only via email. He promised to update us but never did.
After Thanksgiving, we finally received a call--not from Martin, but from another store employee--informing us our furniture was ready for delivery. We scheduled the appointment, naturally expecting Martin to honor his commitment to be present.
The Delivery Day Disappointment
The delivery team was exceptional--respectful, professional, and clearly experienced. When I asked where Martin was, they were as surprised as we were. They had no information about his promised attendance and no floor plan for furniture placement. A call to the store revealed that Martin was on vacation and apparently knew nothing about being present for our delivery.
What hurt most wasn't that Martin took time off--employees certainly deserve vacations. What was deeply disappointing was the complete lack of communication or planning. Martin never:
Informed us he wouldn't be available
Arranged for another staff member to fulfill his commitment
Provided the delivery team with our floor plan
Followed up after the delivery
The delivery professionals handled the situation admirably, sharing their experience and suggestions to help us make decisions Martin should have guided us through. They clearly felt as uninformed as we did.
The Aftermath and Our Current Feelings
Since delivery, there has been zero follow-up communication from Martin or anyone at Borofka's. No check-in to ensure we're satisfied, no acknowledgment of the broken commitment, no attempt to make things right.
This experience has left us feeling like we were valued only until the sale was completed. Once our nearly $10,000 was secured, we seemingly ceased to matter. For a store manager--someone who should exemplify exceptional customer service and set the standard for their team--this lack of follow-through is particularly concerning.
Our Perspective Going Forward
We want to be clear: the furniture quality is excellent, which is why we chose Borofka's in the first place. The delivery team was outstanding and did their best in a difficult situation they didn't create.
However, we are now reluctant to:
Return to the Burnsville location for future purchases
Visit other Borofka's locations, despite knowing one manager's behavior shouldn't reflect on all stores
Recommend Borofka's to friends and family
When a store manager treats customers this way, it raises legitimate questions about how the rest of the staff is being trained and what standard of customer care the company values.
What We Hope For
We hope other customers don't experience what we did. We hope this feedback reaches leadership who care about customer relationships extending beyond the point of sale. And we hope that in an industry built on trust and significant financial investments, companies will prioritize the follow-through that turns one-time buyers into lifetime advocates.
Rating: 2/5
Furniture Quality: 5/5
Delivery Team: 5/5
Sales Process: 3