I have been shopping at Collected Works for many, many years. I am always able to find a birthday gift for a relative or colleague. I even mentioned to the "nice" sales clerk that many rooms of my house actually have several pieces of the artwork displayed and is starting to look like the store itself.
However, over the years, I have noticed that the owner of the shop is extremely condescending and rude to her customers. This is an observation that not only I have witnessed, but also many of my friends who have long boycotted the store for that very reason.
Some examples are the owner's hyper vigilance when customers are looking at items on shelves. Now, I understand that she is concerned about damage, but the problem is in her lack of diplomacy and interpersonal skills when she confronts the customer rudely and often makes side comments behind their back.
Today, during my absolute last visit to this store, this happened to me. A box of candles fell to the floor as I was reaching for two. She runs over and hands me a basket, then proceeds to ask me why did this happen. When I went to the front of the store, I heard her make a sarcastic comment about the incident to another customer. I thought I would be exempt from her ill treatment, since I spend approx. $100-$200 each month at her shop. Shame on her!
I can only hope that she will work in the back of the store and let her son and other employees take over the customer service division. Her son has an absolutely pleasant way of talking to customers especially when letting them know that certain art collectibles are best handled and displayed by the staff.
I will now order the items on the Internet or shop at William Glen, where I am able to truly enjoy the gift shopping experience!
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