I've had two encounters with Southward in the past year. I won't waste my time with a third. The first time there were four people behind the counter eating and although no one else was in the shop, nobody even acknowledged that I was there. Someone finally came who was pretty uninterested in helping me as well. I don't remember what I needed that day, only that their rudeness or aloofness left a strong impression. Today I called because I had a set of tubeless tires that I had set up but I was unable to get the bead on the tire set without a compressor. I called and asked if they could help and they said yes, leave them overnight and for $25 per tire we will do it. I said no thanks because that seemed ridiculous to charge $25 to air up a tire. I even called back five minutes later to clarify that the tubeless tires were already set up, they just needed aired by a compressor. Yes, that's $25 per tire. I managed to get one tire seated with an adapter and the air compressor at Quick Trip but the other one wouldn't seat. I ended up in Olathe and stopped at Eriks bikes, took the wheel in and the mechanic said sure, but if it doesn't seat I'll have to check it in. It took him literally 15 seconds to pop air in the tire. He handed it back, no charge. I made sure to stop at the front counter and thank them and I also bought $45 worth of handlebar tape. I spend hundreds of dollars a year at my local bike shop. I lived in Arizona until last year. what I asked for was not some extravagant, free service. This is something that any local bike shop, and I've lived in several areas of the country, just does. It's literally putting air in a tire. Southward thinks if they have something you need, whatever it is, that you should be able to take you for whatever they would like. Never again. read more
