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I purchased my car, a 2006 Chevrolet Aveo, brand new about a year ago. That being said, it is still under warranty. Recently, it began acting strangely. The symptoms were:
The daytime running...
I purchased my car, a 2006 Chevrolet Aveo, brand new about a year ago. That being said, it is still under warranty. Recently, it began acting strangely. The symptoms were:
The daytime running light indicator was going on/off sporadically
The car creaked loudly when making turns
The radio would spot out, that is, go silent, for a brief time then resume as normal
The windshield washer fluid wouldn’t dispense
I figured for the most part, all of the things listed were fairly minor repairs. At worst, I had a major electrical problem; at least, a day-long loss of my car that would be a minor inconvenience. I called the dealership from where I had purchased my car, Classic Chevrolet off State Route 2 at State Route 615, and scheduled an early Monday morning appointment.
The first irritation arose when I was told that I would not get a rental car. In order for my warranty to pay for one, my car would have to be in the shop for at least 8 hours. I explained to the gentleman that I had to get to work. He told me that would not be a problem; he could have someone take me to work (since I worked close by). We setup a drop-off time of 7:30am on 11/20/06.
I got there, and drove my car into the garage to wait in a line of other cars. I parked and went into the small shop on the side and waited for an attendant to assist me. A gentleman called me over, however, 3 others ticked away on keyboards at their empty desks and ignored me. The man at the counter asked me what I was there for, and found me in the system. He asked if I left my keys in the car, which I advised no, and then he asked me to confirm where it was parked and to hand him my keys. He briefly left with a clipboard to inspect my car (I am assuming to confirm the VIN and to take mileage information down, etc.), then returned and began entering information into the system. He then asked me to describe my problems.
I ran over the list above, and he would periodically ask a question for further detail. After about 5 minutes, he presented me with a printout, which he requested that I sign. I did confirm that the repairs that I indicated were under warranty, which he did verify, and signed my name. I told him that I needed a ride to work, and he got onto a walky-talkie and signaled to a van driver to wait for me. He gave me vague directions and outside I went. An older gentleman with another female customer waited in a dark van to take me to work.
After being dropped off at work (on time), the waiting game began. Finally, around noon, I got a call from the dealership, explaining that my car had been looked at and repaired. The results were:
A faulty module on the daytime running lights; which was replaced.
A bad fuse on the windshield wiper fluid dispenser, which was replaced.
Bushers for my stabilizer bar were part of a faulty design and the “new and improved” (a direct quote) version were on order. I would be called when they arrived, which meant I had to take my car back for further repairs at some point in the future (I was told 2 days, tops).
The radio problem couldn’t be duplicated.
I advised the gentleman that my husband would be picking up my car this evening (they were open until 7pm), and he told me that he would make sure to call me once they got in the parts for my car.
Since it was Thanksgiving week, I had little hope it would get done by Wednesday, the 23rd. Sure enough, the parts must not have arrived, as I didn’t get a call to my phone. I figured I would hear something by Friday.
Then, I started my car, and the daytime running light went out. Then back on. The SAME problem was recurring! That was on the 23rd. I figured I would wait until I got the phone call about my bushers and I would mention this problem at that time. Friday the 25th arrived, with no call.
Monday the 27th came and went with no call. The daytime running lights were still on the fritz, but everything else seemed ok.
Then today, the 28th, I hopped into my car this morning to go to work, and it WOULDN’T START!
Turn the key, crank, crank, crank, crank, cough sputter.
Turn the key, crank, crank, crank, crank, cough sputter.
Turn the key, crank, crank, crank, crank, cough sputter.
By this time, I was on the phone with my husband (who was already at work), and crying about being late to work. I tried again.
Turn the key, crank, crank, crank, crank, cough sputter.
He was offering to come and get me to take me to work. I told him no, he didn’t need to miss work. I tried again.
Turn the key, crank, crank, crank, crank, cough, WEAK start.
I advised my husband that it was working, and I would most definitely be on the phone later to speak with the dealership, who was supposed to have fixed all of this. Well, the other problems at least, this was new!
I called them around 10am today, and a nice lady in the service department located my account. I reviewed everything with her, and she offered to send a tow truck. I confirmed that again, everything would be under warranty. The emphatically confirmed this, then also confirmed that I qualified for a rental car since my car is inoperable.
The tow truck driver arrived within the timeframe that I was told, and was a very nice gentleman. My car was towed off the lot, and taken to the dealership. Around 12, I remembered that my front tires had been going flat a lot, and I was having to put air into them every two weeks or so. I called the dealership, not expecting them to have fixed my car yet, and asked about whether they could look at those, too, since I figured they were under warranty.
A gentleman got on the phone and advised me that the bushers and stabilizer bar had nothing to do with the tires going flat, and that actually someone was looking at my car was we spoke. Awkward silence. I asked politely if they would look at the tires. He said sure, in an annoyed voice, and we terminated the call.
It is now around 2:30pm. I have not heard anything about my car yet. It could be in pieces, for all I know…
The result? If you bought a car from Classic, be wary of the service department. You will probably have to call them again, and maybe even take your car back. I will definitely update this review once I have gotten my car back.
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Best Buy
Category:
Home Electronics
7830 Plaza Blvd
Mentor, Ohio 44060
(440) 974-1151
My husband and I recently had to upgrade our TV. Well, not necessarily upgrade it, but it had to be replaced due to a dying set of speakers that produced the most ungodly screeching noise at the “s”...
My husband and I recently had to upgrade our TV. Well, not necessarily upgrade it, but it had to be replaced due to a dying set of speakers that produced the most ungodly screeching noise at the “s” sound.
We had been pondering the leap to HDTV, and most recently, decided to visit our local Best Buy. We have shopped here many times in the past, and as with most of our visits to a Best Buy store, we tend to drop way more money than we should. This most recent trip was no different.
We did our research, and had decided upon a 27” model made by Samsung. While we were perusing the clean aisles of the store, a young gentleman by the name of Andrew approached us, and asked if we needed any help. He assured us that they do not work on commission, and said that if we had any questions, to find him and he could help. He also asked if we were members of the Best Buy Reward Zones program.
We shook our heads no. As I recalled, there was a membership fee. We like Best Buy, but not enough to spend an annual fee for a program there, to try and earn points back for gift certificates.
Andrew emphatically shook his head and explained that the program was now free! What’s more, if we bought the TV that we were pondering, we would qualify for a $10 gift card to be mailed to us almost right away. He handed us a pamphlet and wandered off.
We continued with our perusal, and wandered over to look at other TVs. No other sales reps approached us at that time, which was nice. There is nothing worse than being accosted by 14 employees just moving from one aisle to the next. On the next aisle over, we saw the same TV, however, it was open box, and a tag on the front of the display indicated that if we walked out with it that day, we would get a $50 gift card on the spot.
I sent my husband to find Andy, who explained that yes, we would get a gift card that we could use that same day, if we wanted. My husband ran off to find toys to buy. I discussed some other aspects of the TV, including what the HD resolution was, explaining how we were hoping to get a next-generation gaming console soon. This immediately launched into a discussion of gaming skills, wherein Andy explained that he was the best Dr. Mario player out there.
I had to disagree. I was, after all, the goddess of Dr. Mario.
Andy countered this. Sounded like a throw-down to me. After a good-natured laugh, Andy went and searched for the remote. His first attempt brought back the wrong one, but the second was more successful. He also procured a cart for the TV (which didn’t come with a box or a manual), and my husband and he loaded it up. After that, we thanked Andy (who was very nice), and we wandered over to discover what we could blow the $50 gift card upon.
After selecting a DVD set and a video game, we headed to the registers. The store was already setup for the holidays, and a female employee acted as the traffic cop at the head of the line, directing the patrons on which registered to go to for service. She was friendly enough, but it seemed like she had better things she would rather be doing at that moment. The cashier was very nice, although a little confused as to how to ring up the gift card. Thankfully, there were no problems with this. We got out card, and then rang up the items separately. Payment was quickly transacted, and we walked outside (with a quick wave from security as they made sure we paid for the TV, which, seems kind of ludicrous as I cannot imagine someone just waltzing out with a TV like that).
Here is where the disappointment set in. The store was clean, the employees nice and helpful, but no one came outside to help us load up the TV into the car. Fortunately, my husband is a brute and can lift heavy loads without blinking, but it still seemed kind of odd. Regardless, we got the TV into the car and managed to get it home and unpacked without incident. Plus, we got lots of points on our new membership with Reward Zone.
Overall, I certainly recommend this store. The staff is very friendly and productive. I have never had a problem with any of them being rude or unhelpful. The store is clean, and well-maintained. I have very rarely noticed an item out of place on a shelf or items on the floor.
If you are in the Mentor area, I most definitely recommend shopping here. While Best Buy can be expensive, the staff here will help offset some of the monetary guilt. Best of all, they are commission-free, so you don’t have to worry about being hounded to death, either. Worst case scenario, they have a pretty spiffy website, too.
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I remember vaguely the small, crudely drawn "Caesar" in the orange toga with the crown of laurel leaves, munching a piece of pizza while shouting the phrase "Pizza, pizza" from the commercial days...
I remember vaguely the small, crudely drawn "Caesar" in the orange toga with the crown of laurel leaves, munching a piece of pizza while shouting the phrase "Pizza, pizza" from the commercial days of my youth. I also remember the day that the store up the street from my mother's house closed forever, due to poor sales in the face of such strong competition as Pizza Hut and Papa John's.
But, Little Caesar's pizza had the funnier commercials. Remember the little baby holding the cheesy piece of pizza and slingshot-ing through the house? Comedy gold, that.
On a recent trip down Route 20, in one of the seedier plazas of Painesville, I saw something I thought had disappeared entirely from Northeast Ohio: a Little Caesar's pizzeria... free-standing, offering fresh pizzas and my personal favorite... Crazy Bread. I had to stop.
Upon entering the small shop, complete with an ATM and a clean lobby, I was greeted with the familiar smells of any pizzeria... only this one was different. It had Crazy Bread! And, by the sign above the counter, a special... an order of Crazy Bread, ready to walk out the door with dipping sauce, for $2.50! (Cash only).
I promptly walked up to the long-haired cashier and placed my order. Only, unlike what the sign promised, none was immediately available. I had to wait. No big deal, really; my husband and I took a seat on a bright red bench in the lobby, and waited. We watched the cashier stock the small warming unit on the counter with ready-made large pizzas; only $5 each.
About 10 minutes later, the cashier called us up, and we retrieved our breadsticks. An order of 8, hot and fresh from the oven, with a small cup of pizza sauce. The bread smelled yummy... with buttery goodness and the signature parmesan garlic flavor... it was as good as my 10-year-old memories could recall. Flavorful, warm... I was in heaven.
The only jolt to reality was the bland pizza sauce. I didn't recall that part, but the sauce was watery and not very tasty. Think tomato sauce with minimal flavoring. A disappointment, however, not necessary to enjoy the Crazy Bread.
All in all, this is a great little trip down memory lane. The prices are competitive, and they also have the "Walk In and get a Large Pizza, $5, Anytime" deal. The shop was clean, and the employees, if a bit tattooed, were polite and professional. A definite recommendation.
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I love Kohl's stores. Really, I do. Their Black Friday specials are some of the best available, and they have the Gold Star Deals: a program wherein they heavily discount certain merchandise to make...
I love Kohl's stores. Really, I do. Their Black Friday specials are some of the best available, and they have the Gold Star Deals: a program wherein they heavily discount certain merchandise to make room for new inventory. When I can get a $40 shirt for $6, you know I will come back time and again.
On our most recent outing, yesterday evening, Kohl's was having one of their Midnight sales, which really cut off at 11pm, but that is the best comparison. In this sale, items were given extra discounts during those hours, then would go back to normal sale prices at the expiration.
What caught my eye was the Home Editions Quilt Set (a quilt with matching quilted pillow shams), all size sets, $29.99. I have been needing another blanket for our bed, and this was an offer I could not refuse.
Upon entry into this store, located in the plaza across from Lowe's and near the local Border's store, you are impressed with the size and cleanliness of the store. Sales are very well displayed with large placards and brightly colored signs.
The store is sectioned off like you would expect for a more upscale department store. Kohl's strikes me as a more hoity-toity version of Target, but not as costly as Dillard's. Sure, you can find some expensive items there, however, Kohl's also offers serious discounts, and is also easier to navigate without staff accosting you in the hopes of gaining a commission.
The downside to this? Most Kohl's staff in this store are nonexistent until you need to pay. Even then, they are grumpy and do not really want to be there. If you are in housewares and can't find something, you will have to walk all the way to the front of the store, ask a cashier to page someone, wait for that person to get there, and then explain what you need and hope they have it in stock. If they are in a good mood, they will help you find it. If they are not, you will be told they don't have it in stock. I'm thinking this is regardless of whether they actually do or not.
This store is clean, and very well organized. Sale items are easily found, and a wide variety of labels are there, including Adidas, Daisy Fuentes, Home Editions, Sonoma, and others. The shoe department carries major brands, also, in a wide variety of styles and sizes.
The home department has a lot, too, including all sorts of vacuums, carpet cleaners, Kitchenaid attachments, Kitchenaid mixers, paintings, candles, and more. Without their sale prices, they can be expensive, but when they have their specials running, Kohl's just can't be beat.
In short, Kohl's is great for their sales and selection. I probably will never pay full price for anything there, because the prices are costly. My advice? Watch their ads and shop wisely. You could get an $80 quilt set for $30 too, if you are patient.
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Mr Hero
Category:
Restaurants
16204 Detroit Ave
Lakewood, Ohio 44107
(216) 228-6489
Disclaimer: this restaurant serves Pepsi products!
Last week, during one of my visits to the lovely city of Lakewood, I had a hankering for a ham & cheese sub. From... you guessed it, Mr....
Disclaimer: this restaurant serves Pepsi products!
Last week, during one of my visits to the lovely city of Lakewood, I had a hankering for a ham & cheese sub. From... you guessed it, Mr. Hero.
I do not know exactly how broad in spectrum Mr. Hero is, however, I can tell you that here in the Northeast Ohio area, they are a staple, competing with chains like Subway and Quiznos.
The difference is really in the menu. Sure, they sell subs like you would expect: ham, turkey, italian (which is a ham-type sub), meatball, etc., however, they are also popular for their signature sandwiches, like the Romanburger.
Let me first clarify one thing: if you are in the neighborhood to diet, I would not bother visiting a Mr. Hero shop. Their rich mayonnaise and fried meats are not for the health-conscious. It all tastes wonderful, but the calories are astronomical.
This local shop, one of many franchise establishments in the area, is located in a small plaza off Detroit Rd. It is clean, and the owners proudly display their certificates of achievement on the wall by the front door. On the adjacent wall, above the counter by the soda machine, are slips from various customers praising the service given.
The restaurant is carpeted, and there are two tables in the waiting area: you can dine in, or order for take out. The cashier was very friendly; and took our order quickly and efficiently. My husband and I ordered:
1 10" Romanburger combo, which included a large Wafer fry and a large drink, with a side of cheese sauce for the fries;
1 7" ham and cheese sub, no lettuce with extra mayo, a small Wafer fry and a large drink.
We were handed our cups, and walked over to the soda machine to fill them while we waited for our order. We wandered over to a vacant table and sat near the counter. Our wait was probably 7 minutes, as a few other customers came in after we placed our order. We were eventually presented with a tray laden with our items, individually wrapped and ready to go.
Total cost? $18.94. Expensive? Yes. But subs are not cheap, no matter where you go. And to my mind, Mr. Hero has some of the best tasting cheeses and condiments available anywhere.
The food was fresh, and accurate. My ham and cheese sub was cold, with a great amount of mayo (I LOVE their mayo), and the bread was soft and tasty. My husband inhaled his Romanburger, a hamburger/salami/cheese concoction that could undoubtedly cause a heart attack. He nodded that everything tasted wonderfully when asked.
The fries were hot and fresh, and salted just right.
The only real complaint that I had was the lack of a public restroom facility. While the dining area was small, and obviously, the restaurant was not designed to support a large-scale dine-in operation, it was a bit bothersome that there was no bathroom to use.
In short, the restaurant was clean, the service was professional and accurate, and the food tasted wonderful. If you are in the neighborhood and want a tasty, but not necessarily the healthiest, of meals, stop on in.
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Back on September 16th, I was driving home along the freeway and realized that I had to hold my steering wheel at a 15 degree angle to drive straight. Considering my car is less than a year old, I...
Back on September 16th, I was driving home along the freeway and realized that I had to hold my steering wheel at a 15 degree angle to drive straight. Considering my car is less than a year old, I was miffed, to say the least. A large chuckhole that I had hit about a month earlier had apparently done a number to my alignment.
I got home and promptly called around town to see who had the cheapest deal for this service. Three calls later, I had the manager of Midas on the line, and we were joking about the whole deal. Even though the price I was quoted was the same as another place, the jovial attitude of the gentleman on the line won me over. We decided to hop in the car and drive over to get the car fixed.
Let me point out a few things from the phone call.
1) The gentleman was making comical remarks about the pricing of dealerships and repairs. They were a bit "edgy" ("they must smoke crack!!") but I ignored them, as my sense of humor is quirky.
2) I was told it would take 45 mins to an hour for the repair.
3) I was quoted $49.95 for the 2-wheel alignment, since my car has a straight rear axel, that was all I needed. Assuming nothing else was wrong with the car, the bill should be $49.95 + tax.
Before I left, I hopped onto the Midas site (www.midas .com) and printed out two coupons. One was for $10 off any $50 service, the other was $5 off an oil change. I figured while I was there, if it was cheap enough, I might as well get that done, too, as I was overdue.
Twenty minutes later, my husband and I walked into Midas. The manager, a large, tattooed man, was filling out some sort of coupon pamphlet at the desk. He never looked up when we walked in, nor when I came to the desk and placed my keys upon the counter. After a moment of awkward silence, I finally said I had called about the alignment.
He glanced up with a look of impatience, said, "Yea, I remember", then resumed signing the coupons. After a moment, he finished, walked into the lobby and handed the booklet to a female sitting there waiting, then came back to the counter and chose to acknowledge me.
After a brief exchange of my personal information, I handed over my keys. I looked up and noticed that as a "Manager's Special", oil changes were $12.95. I asked him to include that with my alignment. I then pulled out my $10 off $50 coupon. He screwed up his face and said, rather rudely, that the coupon isn't valid. He pointed out that it said "price of service not including taxes" and that the cost of the alignment was $49.95. The oil change cost couldn't be included (no elaboration there) and also it is already on special, so I can't use a coupon. This was explained VERY rudely. He then mumbled that the price was "the way they do it" so that the web coupons couldn't be used.
Given the fact I hadn't noticed the "price of service not including taxes" part, I didn't argue the point too much. At that point, it would have been because he was so rude, not because I felt any merit for the discount. Then, the question of how long for the service came up. I had assumed, from the conversation on the phone, it would be 45 minutes. Since we had no other vehicle to get home, I really didn't want to wander around Mentor mall longer than that.
Another derisive snort and a comment of "It's 45 minutes to an hour FROM WHEN WE GET YOU IN", which was coarsely emphasized. I arched my eyebrow and looked at my husband, then looked back at him. In a tone like I was an utter idiot, he said that he was very busy but would try and get us in as quickly as possible.
With that, my husband and I walked out and went over to shop. It was approximately 12:30pm.
At 3:30pm, we picked up the car. A call was made to my cell phone at 3:29pm, telling me it was ready. We had already walked back to the store by that time to see if the car was ready.
We picked up the car, and plunked out the $65 total. The manager, obviously noting my earlier tone, had been generous enough to knock $5 off the cost of the alignment. I was told, in as polite a tone as this guy could muster, that I was now automatically enrolled in the Midas Oil Change Club, and every 6th oil change would be free. Also, one wheel (he forgot which one) was knocked out of alignment by 15 degrees. I was then advised of the 30 day warranty on my alignment, and if anything felt "Not right", to bring it back to get it fixed, gratis.
He was attempting to joke again like the previous phone convo. When my husband inquired about possibly getting front end work for his truck done at his store, he was rudely cut off mid-sentence with "I dunno how much it would cost, you gotta bring it in".
In terms of service, the oil change was right. The alignment, well, I still have to hold the wheel at an angle, although a much smaller angle, to steer straight. I am going to take the car back this weekend to have it fixed. The store was as clean as an auto repair place should be, and the lot was paved nicely. The Midas warranty service is as good as the commercials advertise. The customer service, however, is not.
Let's not get into the whole web coupon thing.
Overall, if you need a cheap repair job, this is the place to go. The warranty is the only saving grace. Otherwise, you may be throwing your money down the drain.
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Qdoba
Category:
Mexican Restaurants
9552 Mentor Ave
Mentor, Ohio 44060
(440) 352-8482
Disclaimer: this restaurant serves Coke products.
I had a coupon for a free entree from Qdoba (pronounced Q-doh-bah), so one afternoon last weekend, my husband and I decided to stop by and see...
Disclaimer: this restaurant serves Coke products.
I had a coupon for a free entree from Qdoba (pronounced Q-doh-bah), so one afternoon last weekend, my husband and I decided to stop by and see what the place was like.
Now, I love Chipotle. I can't eat half of the items on their menu (sensitivity to hot peppers and all), but I love my chicken soft tacos. Upon entering Qdoba, I was immediately struck by how similar the layout was to Chipotle.
The line wound along the left side of the restaurant, and took you to a long ordering counter. Food was laid out along the hot rack display, and a person stood at the head of the line with steamer units, waiting to prepare your oversized burrito (or taco, or whatever you wanted).
The main difference, however, is the much larger variety of items which Qdoba offers. For instance, they have more sauces (including a spicy ranch that my husband loves), tortilla soup, brownies, and variations on staple menu items.
Everything else is the same as Chipotle: spicy beef, steak, chicken, or pork. Vegetarian mixes are available through peppers & onions (fajita style) and beans. Lime cilantro rice for the burritos, salsa, cheeses, guacamole, and sour cream. Sound familiar?
Service starts when you place your order; the staff will steam the appropriately sized tortilla for you, depending upon whether you want a taco or a burrito. If you don't want a tortilla, you can go "naked" and just get everything in a bowl, salad-style. After your shell is ready (it takes 10 seconds, tops), you direct them on how to build your food.
For myself, I ordered a basic chicken burrito. No rice, black and pinto beans, chicken, very little mild salsa, and LOTS of cheese. My husband ordered the steak explosion, which involved steak, rice, no beans, fajita peppers, spicy ranch, sour cream, medium (corn) salsa, and cheese. Roughly 5 pounds of food in the burrito (I kid you not).
Our order also included a large pop, 1 bottle of fruit juice, two brownies, a side of tortilla chips with salsa, and a bowl of tortilla soup. The total for all that? Around $20; with the coupon, around $15.
The burritos were about $5 each. The tortilla chips were $0.75, the soup was $5, and I forget the rest... but it totalled the remaining cost on the $20.
The result? My burrito tasted, smelled, and looked remarkably similar to a Chipotle burrito. Great taste, the tortilla was just right. The chicken was spiced and cooked to perfection, and the salsa had a great flavor. Overall, that part was great.
My husband commented that his burrito was divine, and particularly liked that spicy ranch sauce. He thinks also that it tastes better than Chipotle.
The tortilla soup? Not so good. It was overly spicy, so much so that the flavor was lost. Think boiled hot sauce. Eww.
The tortilla chips were stale (some were bending in half...) and the brownies were bland and generic.
Overall? I wasn't impressed. It was ok, and I am sure we will go there again if only for the sake of the spicy ranch sauce that my husband loves. Personally, I would rather have the fewer menu choices and have a consistent quality at Chipotle. Of all the higher-end Mexican-style restaurants, they definitely are king.
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Shopping through this website (the online version of Pokemon USA is www.pokemoncenter.com) has been the worst experience to date that I can recall from an online retailer. It has every horror story...
Shopping through this website (the online version of Pokemon USA is www.pokemoncenter.com) has been the worst experience to date that I can recall from an online retailer. It has every horror story aspect you can picture from online buying, minus fraudulent charges to the credit card. Even without this aspect, I want to pull out my hair from sheer frustration and my husband is irate at the lack of customer service.
My husband used Pokemoncenter.com to pre-order the latest Pokemon games as well as the newest movie. For reference, the games were:
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Blue
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Red
The movie was:
Lucario and the Mystery of Mew
The games and movie were pre-ordered on September 3, 2006. The games and movie were scheduled to be shipped [separately] out on September 19, 2006.
The games and the movie were separate orders. Since they were pre-orders, Pokemoncenter.com had promotional items included, namely toys with the movie, guides and stuffed animals with the games. As with any online order from this retailer, the charges were processed immediately and accurately.
The problem? Simple. We have not received the games, to date. Today is September 29, 2006. Shipping was standard, however, the movie arrived about a week ago complete with the items it was supposed to have. Two emails from my husband has resulted in no replies. Today, he attempted to call the phone number on the site (listed under the "Contact Us" link) and was connected directly to a female's voicemail. He left a message around 4:45pm EST. While I am hopeful that he will get a call before the end of their business day (advertised until 6pm EST on their website), I remain dubious. It is currently 5:50pm EST.
My husband has used this site before, with satisfactory results. Approximately a year ago, he pre-ordered the Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness Gamecube video game, and it arrived quickly and packaged appropriately. Charges were processed against his card correctly, and nothing was out of sorts.
In terms of site layout, PokemonCenter.com is colorful and easily navigable. Items are easy to find using the search feature, and pricing matches those of brick-and-mortar retailers. The advantage of using this site is that it is officially licensed by Pokemon USA, and therefore, often has items that may be difficult to find for your resident Pokemaniac. In short, it has any and all things Pokemon.
Order accuracy, for what we have received, has been correct. Hopefully, if the games ever do show up, they will include all of the special items that were promoted.
Customer service is awful, miserable, non-existent, and any other negative adjective you can imagine. In fact, if it wasn't for the human voice that my husband heard on the voicemail, I would be willing to wager it didn't even exist at all.
In short, if you are hard pressed to find a Pokemon item, this may be a source for you. However, it may be better to go through eBay or another online retailer. You may get your order just fine, but if you don't, good luck trying to get someone on the phone (or email!!) to straighten it out.
Update: The package of games arrived today, October 2nd, 2006. So that places almost two full weeks since the game's release. AND no word yet from Customer Care.
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This plaza is on the corner of Rte 306 and Mentor Avenue. It is in a bit of a depression, and if you are walking, would have to go down a steep hill to make it to the plaza level.
Many stores are...
This plaza is on the corner of Rte 306 and Mentor Avenue. It is in a bit of a depression, and if you are walking, would have to go down a steep hill to make it to the plaza level.
Many stores are here, and pretty much cover any aspect you would need.
Marc's
Sally's Beauty Supply
Panera Bread
National Tire and Battery
HH Gregg
Revol
Old Navy
Pet Supplies Plus
Marshall's
Jalapeno Loco
and others, but I forget what they are. There is another furniture store (very high end) and a shoe store, too.
As with most plazas, it is laid out in the "U" pattern, with HH Gregg forming the apex. There is ample parking, and the lot is clean and well-maintained. Being on a busy corner, it can be a bit of a pain to get into and out of the lot, which is why from 3-6pm you cannot make a left turn into the plaza from Rte 306.
As far as I know, this is the only plaza with a Marc's store in Mentor.
If you want a nice shopping place that is not too far from the mall, this is a nice stopover. It has most of you needs, from clothing and shoes, to car care and groceries. Need a washer? HH Gregg is down the way. In fact, I have a review of that store, too.
Stop in and check this place out.
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My husband and I rented this hall to use in our wedding. Across from the famous Perry Nuclear Power Plant (yes, I did have a certain "glow" as a bride, but no... it was NOT green), this building is...
My husband and I rented this hall to use in our wedding. Across from the famous Perry Nuclear Power Plant (yes, I did have a certain "glow" as a bride, but no... it was NOT green), this building is up for rent if you are a resident of Perry or North Perry township.
Since my husband and I lived in Mentor at the time, my mother-in-law used her residency status to rent the hall for us. The building is the local city hall; downstairs is the police station and up is a kitchen, large hall area (with a fireplace), and surrounding the hall is a large, enclosed veranda-style area.
As to when this building was constructed, I cannot say, however, I will vouch that it was possibly the early to mid 1900s. It is sturdy, and has quaint wood floors. The walls and panelling are all white, and the fireplace is lovely brick with a beautiful wooden mantle.
The cost to rent this hall was $300, which was mostly a deposit. As long as we returned the hall cleaned and in the condition we found it, we would get $200 back. The government was a bit strict about this fact, and also that you could not bring liquor into the place.
If you want a dry wedding and/or reception, this may not be for you. It can comfortably seat around 100-150 people, but not much more. The seats and tables are provided, and the kitchen is free for use. In our situation, we were allowed to pick up the keys on Friday night, and had to be out by Saturday evening.
The hall was great: we seated all of our guests (maybe 50, total), and the floor was wonderful for the dancing. We didn't use the fireplace (though it is functional), but instead draped it with flowers.
On Friday evening, we spent the time decorating. On all four sides are doors: double doors, with mock-french style. We used these to set a backdrop for the "altar" area, and the other as my entrypoint to walk to my husband. Using my laptop connected to speakers to queue the music... it may not have been a fancy venue, but seeing my husband standing in the village hall, decked out in a tux, tears in his eyes as he watched me walk toward him, was the happiest moment of my life.
Even with the police department below us, we were left alone for the evening. We did sneak in booze (a couple boxes of wine and some beer in a cooler, and even though a cop was outside at one point and HAD to have seen the alcohol, nothing was said to us.
Cleanup was fast, but we were able to get everything back to the way that we recalled it having been arranged. Apparently, to the satisfaction of the village, and we received our $200 deposit in it's entirety. This was received within a week of the wedding.
In short, if you want an affordable hall that will seat aronud 100 people, AND you live in the Perry or North Perry area, look this up. It is clean, conveniently located right off Lockwood, and is most importantly, cheap!
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