Sexist? Homophobic? General poor customer service? Could be any of the above.
I had a disappointing trip to Woodcraft in Woodridge, IL. While the selection of product appeared great and there was a beautiful selection of lumber, the customer service that I experienced was terrible. I did most of the talking as this is my project and my husband was only around during parts of my interaction with the staff. As a proud ally of the LGBTQIA+ community I also wear a watch with a rainbow band; perhaps that made them uncomfortable. Regardless of their reasons, the customer service was lacking.
I entered carrying a test piece of wood and immediately searched out for assistance as I am very new to woodworking. I needed help on how to finish the piece I am working on, including how to smooth the live edge of my piece, oils, sealant, and general recommendations to make my finished product the best it could be. The gentleman I encountered was not wearing a mask and that was alarming. I should have left immediately, but there are not a lot of woodworking shops in the area. I did not notice a name tag and he did not introduce himself. I asked about finishing oils and sealants and he brought me to that section and gave me a can of sealant. His instructions for use were contradictory to all of the research I did before and after the visit. I also asked about the use of Tung Oil and he did not respond to those questions. He did not seem interested in helping me and seemed more interested in getting me out of the store. At this point I wandered around a bit, really disappointed, until I found my husband in another area of the store and asked to leave. I was very excited to check this store out to supplement my new hobby, but it left me sad and disillusioned.
When we left my husband asked why I seemed so upset and I explained what happened when he was wandering around. He did not have the same experience. He recommended I write up this review of my experience. I was hesitant and hoped that speaking to someone at the store would allay my concerns.
The next day I called the store to speak with someone, initially to let them know about the staff member without a mask and then hopefully ask some questions. Unfortunately, the manager, Carl, was defensive when I expressed my concern over the staff not wearing a mask and that I had a less than stellar experience in store and again the interaction was so off-putting that I gave up. read more