I wish there was a NO STAR rating!
On Friday, Sept. 9, I went to my usual clothing service location (Rex Cleaners on Race) for a simple alteration on my new Sport Coat. They said unfortunately, their seamstress is not available for a while.
They referred me to Forest Tailor on Forest Street near Valley Fair and they also mention a tailor close by but had little information on their prices or how good they are.
Hana Tailors.
I took my Coat in and they barely spoke English, so a few flags went up. Hana took a look at my coat while I had it on and confirmed that the sleeves needed to be raised and also tightened. The back needed to be brought in for a tapered look but she ignored the hump on the neck part which always needed to be attended to. Another flag went up!
I said I needed it in 1 week and a lot of "ok, ok, ok, ok." I gave them the coat and did not pay anything until it was done.
Yesterday, Thursday Sept. 15, 1 week later, no call from them. I called them to see if it was finished and they barely spoke English to get my phone number, which I provided over 6 times and they still did not get it right.
I told them, "I'll be right over." I drove to them with my ticket in hand and had a suspicion that it would not be ready, or event started!
I got there and they could not find my Coat. They looked at dresses, shirts, pants, and everything else in the store except the Dry Cleaning. I told them it was a MAN'S COAT/SUIT COAT/JACKET/SPORT COAT and they still looked at the dresses, shirts, pants and everything else.... Then I told them it was BLACK with BLUE stitching, (they did not understand was stitching was and they were supposed to be an alteration service????), and they still were looking at the dresses, shirts, pants and everything else.
This was not going well at all.
In the meantime, there was a customer that came in to drop off some dry cleaning and he said that he was there for many years until the owner sold it to this current crew and they lost some of his clothes. I referred him to Rex Cleaners just up the block. He was appreciative.
Then, as I was trying to explain to the shop people, "I need that coat for Saturday." She said, "You come Monday." NOT A CLUE!
I said, "I need it THIS SATURDAY."
- "ok, ok, ok, You come MONDAY." clueless....
I also said that I need it NOW since I am going to work at 3:30.
She said, "You come back at 6." CLUELESS
Me: "NO, I am going TO WORK at 3:30."
She: "Ok, you come after 6."
???????????
They then motioned for me to come back into their work space to find the coat. WHY? I DON'T WORK THERE and If they lost it, they will reimburse me for the cost of the item. $200 CASH.
THEN, she called 'Hana' who was in HAWAI'I and she was no help at all.
She said that her 'friend' was coming down...... nothing. They never showed up.
I then started to get very angry and said BRING IT TO ME NOW OR I CALL THE POLICE!
Nothing.
Then another customer comes in to pick up 2 shirts before he goes to the airport and the interchange was not going well with him. He heard my commotion and I asked him, "how has your service been with this group?" He said they messed up a pair of slacks and they shrunk! (reading the care labels are essential in dry cleaning so, they apparently did not read the label).
I referred him to Rex Cleaners up the street, too.
I then had a simply brilliant Idea to get my translator out and speak into the phone to have what I need translated into their language. That sorta worked due to the dialect being wrong, apparently.
I said "Is it finished?" and played her the translation to their language.
She: "ok, ok, ok."
Me: "NO - listen to this" - I played their language again to them.
She: "????'
Me: "Where is my Coat?" - Translated
She: "ok, ok, ok."
Me: Again played the translation.
She: gets on the phone and calls 'Hana' again
Me: Translated "Find the coat or my lawyer will be called and you go to court"
She: BIG EYES
Me: "I will pay only for the work done and then take it away to another location" -Translated and shown
She: "ok, ok, ok."
Ya see where this is going?
I finally found out that the coat was not in their location and was sent to someone else. They wanted ME to go get it. Really?
I said "YOU, go get it. I stay here until it comes to me!"
She: "You come back at 6."
BROKEN RECORD!!!
Another customer comes in and they hear the ruckus... They said the previous owner was a dream, but she retired and sold the place to this group and the service has been down hill ever since. I referred them to Rex Cleaners.
3 customers lost!
So, eventually, the Coat gets brought to me and I look at it. The pins were still in place from when 'Hana' put them on. Nothing was done and Nothing was started. I took the coat and walked out the door. She immediately started speaking clear English, YOU PAY ME NOW FOR THAT.
I just walked out of the store and turned around, "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!" and threw the coat in my van and went to Rex Cleaners.
"don't refer anyone read more