Like some of the other folks here, I had a very bad experience with Gary. In brief, it seems that he has a pattern of underestimating how much work he has on his plate, overestimating how much time he has, and regularly makes commitments that he can't keep.
I went in for a very humble job. This is a fine frame shop, so I asked first if it was even worth his time. He was incredibly encouraging, said no job was too low, and he didn't judge. He seemed great! Super nice, no ego, chatty. I sang his praises to folks.
My initial call was on a Saturday, to see if he could cut a mat for an item that I needed by Friday for a retirement party (it was a gift, to be given that evening). Spoiler: he said no problem, but never started the work and closed early on Friday despite my appointment to pick up the item. I had to go to the retirement party without the gift.
Here's what he said he would do and didn't:
- Saturday: Said that he would have it done by Friday absolutely no problem. Said he would text or call me Sunday or Monday after checking out my item to see if he could take it off its backing (an idea he suggested; I just wanted the mat, but he convinced me to let him take a closer look at the item).
- Sunday, Monday, Tuesday: heard nothing from Gary. Tuesday just before closing I pop in, and he says sorry he's been busy all day today (what about Sunday and Monday then?). I say I can just take it back with me, but he insists that he can get it done by Friday, definitely. I feel pressured but I say ok, and reiterate that I only want to leave it there if it can be done on Friday.
- Wednesday, Thursday: heard nothing from Gary. I call Thursday at 5:30, say I'm just up the street and shall I just come and pick up my item because I need it Friday. He again insists that he can definitely finish it Friday, and we schedule that I'll come and pick it up the same time tomorrow, Friday at 5:30.
- Friday at 5:30: The store is closed. There is a note saying that he closed early. I can't get in to retrieve my item. I go to the retirement party without the gift.
- Saturday: I show up to pick up my item, and he hasn't even started the work. He hasn't taken the item out of the frame to check to see if it can be removed from the backing, he hasn't cut the mat. Nothing.
On more tidbit:
On the first day I visited, Gary told me and another customer about a big ~$14,000 project he took on this year, and said how he's never do anything like that again. He described how it was such a massive project (framing a single hug item), and it was just too much work to be worth the money he earned. I suppose that should have raised a red flag. Lesson learned. Gary appears to chronically take on too much work, can't get things done, can't manage his time, and makes unreliable commitments.
Looking at the other reviews, thank goodness at least that he didn't lose my item. read more