I've been a regular customer of Tequila Ranch for several years now. They have a great selection of wines, beers, and specialty bottles, which I purchase on a regular basis. I had always had a great experience shopping there, as all of the employees were very friendly and helpful in helping me find what I needed. One employee even remembered after not having seen me for a month, he said (in Spanish), "We have that bottle you were looking for." It was a bottle of Kraken rum, and I was so impressed that he remembered after a month had gone by...I purchased the bottle right away.
Several days ago, I went into the store as it was opening. I made a comment to a gentleman who was brining out the statue that stands in front of the store. I said, "I didn't realize it was so light". He kind of brushed me off, but I thought nothing of it, and continued to the back of the store where I'd seen some bottles on a previous visit that had been marked down. When I brought the bottles I'd selected to the counter, I let him know that I'd gotten all of the bottles from the "sale" section. He said, "how do you know they are on sale? There isn't a sign that says they are on sale." I let him know that there is a section in the back with many bottles that have been marked down. When I pointed to the sticker on the bottle that read $4, he said, "that's not the price". I said there is a whole row of these with the same sticker that says they are $4. I let him know that I'd been there a week prior and purchased several of these bottle that had been marked down for clearance. He said, "I don't know how this store was run before", and he introduced himself as the manager. Now, I'm writing this review in a very formal manner, but I want to emphasize, that this person who identified himself as the manager, made me feel very uncomfortable, and was very rude and condescending in his approach to me. He refused to sell me the items for the price they were marked...
I went back to the store this evening, and the two employees that were there confirmed that those bottles had in fact been marked down, but after I'd had the disagreement with the manager, he went and took all of the marked down prices off.
If there is an issue with the function of the store, or how it was "previously ran", a customer should not be made to deal with this problem. It's an internal problem and maybe he should have removed the stickers after I'd made my purchase, instead of making me feel embarrassed. If there are changes that need to be made with the way the store is managed, I can respect that, but to take it out on your customer is just wrong.
Being a long time loyal customer, it is disheartening to know that my favorite neighborhood shop is now being managed by someone who treats there customers so poorly. I hope the owner of this store reads this, so that he can be aware of the way his costumers are now being treated by the new management he has hired. read more