I've always gone to Mark's Fleet Supply specifically for chicks. It's the only reason I shop there, and until now, it's been worth the drive--especially since they usually offer a better variety than other stores in the area. A few of my favorite flock members came from here.
However, my most recent experience was incredibly frustrating and disappointing. I called on Sunday to ask if they had silkie chicks and was told no, which is fine. I asked if more would be coming in and was told I'd need to speak to Brenda about that. I left my name and number for her to call me on Monday. She never did.
I followed up on Tuesday and was again told Brenda was busy, but that she'd call me back. She didn't call Tuesday... or Wednesday... or Thursday. On Thursday, I called again and again asked about silkies. Same story: "You have to talk to Brenda." I explained that I'd already left my info twice with no call back. The employee apologized, took my name and number again, and mentioned they had Polish chicks in stock.
So we drove all the way from Verndale to Perham only to find out that while there were plenty of chicks on display, none were actually available to purchase. The only options were turkeys or meat birds, which we didn't want.
I ended up speaking with a manager about the entire situation and suggested that, at this point, delivery would be the only way to make up for the time, gas, and repeated miscommunication. Will that happen? I'm not holding my breath. But I hope this review puts them on notice.
If you're going to run a chick program and tell customers to "talk to Brenda," then Brenda needs to call people back.
UPDATE: Brenda finally called me -- five days and multiple messages later. Instead of offering a genuine apology, she got sassy and basically told me I should've had more patience because she's "so busy." She also told me she didn't feel urgency to return my call because they aren't expecting silkies until June.
What she didn't know (because she never called me back) is that I had a broody hen ready now -- not in June. Timing mattered, which is why I followed up so many times. A simple one-minute phone call earlier in the week could've saved me 4.5 days of waiting, unnecessary follow-ups, and a wasted trip.
This whole thing wasn't just about chicks--it was about basic customer service and respect for people's time. If you're going to tell customers to wait for "Brenda," then Brenda needs to make returning calls a priority. Period. read more
