Really wanted to buy supplies from Frankie...tried to purchase tile for a week from him---gave him my specific order (tile mft, name, number, quantity; i.e., it was no work for him!)---but he could never get an invoice to me! So I made my tile order *for 3 bathrooms* directly with the manufacturer. I bought Schluter metal tile trim from him, but he never told me there are different widths/sizes, so I had to return that. I tried to buy grout from him, and the brands he carries didn't have colors that match my tile. I asked to buy the Schulter heated-flooring system from him but he doesn't sell it (despite all the Schluter signs everywhere); he sells the WarmUp brand which he told me several times provides great service, are in town all the time so if anything goes wrong, they take care of it. So I ordered one for the larger bathroom (he didn't have in stock) and bought one for the smaller bathroom--which was a year old, from 2017....now THAT should have been another clue, that his inventory is not moving. Then I find out that, in fact, WarmUp is not local at all and only the sales rep is around, no local customer service (!), and that Schluter is the brand that is local and provides local customer service. I went back within 24 hours of the order, returned the one I purchased onsite and asked to cancel the order from the manufacturer but Frankie refused to cancel the order, saying it had *already shipped* from the manufacturer. HOWEVER, when I went to pick up the order, the invoice showed it hadn't been ordered for several days AFTER I'd paid for it with Frankie, well after I'd asked to cancel the order based on misinformation he'd given me, AND it hadn't shipped until 5 days later. I brought this up politely, saying this is one of the issues I have with him and his business....there was some long drawn-out story about how they'd called the manufacturer when I tried to cancel it (they most certainly did not!) and that the manufacturer was between warehouses and that's why it LOOKS like the order was made later and shipped even later. WRONG.
I had found Frankie's store when it opened while out for a walk in the neighborhood and really wanted to support a new, nearby store; I gave it the college try. I won't be back. I suggest you save yourself the headache; if you're in Alameda, go to CalTile; way more informative and helpful, and way more product in stock. And honest. Honestly matters. read more