Beware! My girlfriend and I have been loyal customers of HJM for well over a year, we spend an average of probably $50 a day there, including cigarettes , etc...We are so close to them in the Highlands it was always very convenient to get our spirits there and befriended the owners Hanna and John on a first name basis. Up until today we have always enjoyed the experience shopping there. But, a purchase last night changed everything and all of my opinions about this "ma and Pa" local liquor store.
WE , my girlfriend and I went in last night to buy a bottle of mid-shelf liqueur like Bailey's for our coffee this am. Well, they were out of St. Brenddands (another mid shelf coffee liqueur that we enjoy , it's cheaper than Bailey's and taste almost as good). So, Hanna, one of the owners recommended another brand called "Cake and ??), and we trusted it would be fine and purchased it for$ 14.99. Well, this morning I went to use it with our coffee . I opened the lid and nothing poured out, (imagine opening a fresh bottle of Heinz ketchup and having to use a knife to create a release of the fluid inside), well thats exactly what I had to do with this product, it was probably sitting on the shelf so long a seal of it at the opening was developed and after a few hard stabs, it came rushing out , some of it in chunks, some in natural form. Anyway, about half the bottle ended up in a cup and all over our countertop. I had the balls to taste it and sure enough I was swallowing chunks of the product with the fluid itself. So, I immediately drove down to HJM wine and spirits to talk to Hanna, and explain the situation , and ask for a replacement bottle of something. I was diplomatic from the start but she asked why it was half empty and said she couldn't replace the bottle to the vendor in that condition, again I explained my story about it being half empty and she walked away with no interest in my explanation and returned with a bottle , half the size of the one we originally bought, at the tune of $7.99 and said "Have a good day".
I was shocked. After all the money we have spent there and the friendship we had created , she wasn't willing to at least replace the bad bottle with something comprable to the $14.99 price/ and larger size. It was a $7 difference. I said fine, Im taking my business to GENO'S, (about 4 blocks up the street), I guess our relationship wasn't worth an equal extra $7 . So folks, beware and I would seriously consider using GENO'S anyway, they are slightly cheaper and just as friendly and probably have enough business sense , in a situation like ours, to make it right, esp to a customer who spends as much as we do . Incredible story of greed and disrespect. Look closely at the labels and see how long their products sit on the shelves or are past due, luckily I didn't get sick. It's very sad actually , because we had become fairly good friends with Hannah and John, but we wont be returning, nor will we ever recommend this store to anyone that likes common decent customer service, isn't the customer always right?? Guess not.... In the words of HJM wine, " Have a nice day" !! Robert Clarke read more
