Until last night, I used to shop at Richard’s for children’s toys and gifts regularly—for my children’s birthdays, Christmas, and gifts for their friends. I like supporting local businesses and will do so to a fault, even if it means I spend a little more money.\r
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Customer service has never been great a Richard’s. I have noticed their prices are not competitive. I had also noticed their poor treatment of other customers, and turned a blind eye to it. What a mistake!\r
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Last night, in the midst of the holiday shopping season, I took my family to Richard’s to make sure we got everything on the kids’ lists. I told my husband to take the kids to the car while I made some quick purchases. I knew it was getting late, but had not looked at the time recently, nor did I know what time Richard’s closed. As the kids were leaving with my husband, a man shouted loudly, “Turn the lights OFF!” and I looked at my husband and said, “I guess they’re about to close. I’ll hurry.”\r
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I frantically grabbed a basket and started to comb the aisles looking for the 3 gifts my kids wanted. However, I could not see because the lights were off! As I stood in the puzzle aisle trying to see the boxes, an employee came and stood at the end of the aisle and said, “Ma’am, you’ll need to take your purchases to the register now.” I said, “I’m sorry, I can barely see—can you give me just a couple seconds? There are just a few things I need to get and won’t have time to come back this week.” She said, “We’re closing the registers, you need to leave.” WHAT?!?! No offer to help, no apologies, just basically, “Get out.”\r
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A few seconds later I heard the same loud man’s voice saying, “Is there anyone else in here?” I did not answer, but the employee who had just seen me said, “Yes, there is still one customer in here.” Then the man shouted from the front of the store, “You need to leave, the registers are closed now.”\r
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I went to the front, where he was standing, holding the door open, motioning for me to get out. I said, “I can’t believe you are being so rude! I spend hundreds of dollars here every year! I just have a few things…” and he said, “You don’t tell me how to run my business, I don’t tell you how to run yours.” I said, “I’m not, I just don’t understand why you are being so rude! Are you the owner or manager?” and he said, “Lock, stock and barrel!” I asked again, only to get the same nonsense response, TWICE! Then he finally said, “I own the ground you are standing on, and everything around you, now GET OUT, we are closed and these people need to get home!” And I quote!\r
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I was completely mystified. I thought it must have been really late, but when I got to the car (which was parked all the way in the back of the lot), I dug my phone out of my pocket and it was exactly 8:05pm. I was in there a mere 3-4 minutes past closing, most of which time I was being harassed to leave! I honestly felt scared and threatened by this crazy, scary little man who claims to be the owner. I was shaking and dumbfounded.\r
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As much as I hate to say this, I went home, went online to Amazon, found the items there MUCH CHEAPER, got FREE SHIPPING and the items will be here in time for Christmas. So I have no need to ever return to Richard’s.\r
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If you must shop there, be aware of their crappy attitude (as noted by several other reviewers), their return policy and price policy, and the belligerent little man who might just be the owner. And know that you can find their products elsewhere, cheaper, and with less attitude.\r
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