Beware Elm's Bake Shoppe! I have ordered from them twice & did not receive what I ordered either time. In 2004, I ordered a 30th birthday cake for my daughter. I ordered hand-molded, fondant flowers in pale pink and paid $85.00 in advance. Big mistake!. I got buttercream flowers (much less expensive) & not in the colors discussed. Fast forward 2006 - Thought I'd give Elm's a scond chance & ordered a cake for my granddaughter's christening. I spent 20 minutes going over how I wanted the cake. Stupidly paid $63.00 in advance. When I picked it up, it was an 8" round (for twenty people!) & did not look at all like what we had discussed. He didn't even follow his own notes & I was paying $8 per one inch slice! The salesperson told me I did not have to take the cake if I did not like it. Since I had 20 guests coming the next day. I took the cake, got three blocks & decided I was crazy for accepting something I did not order & paying an exorbitant price for it not once, but twice! I returned the cake to the salesperson & requested a refund on my credit card. She said I had to talk to George Leyva the owner who took the order. I called him Monday morning (9/18/06) & requested a refund. He was rude & offensive. I explained that this was the 2nd time I had not received what was ordered; he asked why I came back a second time then. I told him it was in support of neighborhood business, but I wouldn't be back. His reply: "Good! We don't want you back!" It deteriorated into a shouting match until I ended it by saying that I simply was requesting a credit to my card, he refused so we had nothing left to say. One misreading of an order can be an accident. This time, given the response of Mr. Leyva, I think it reflects a business practice. Promise the customer anything, but give them what you want while the customer pays an exorbitant price. I call it bait & switch!
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