Rude attitude

To the editor:

A recent event while shopping downtown has left me dismayed.

I witnessed the worst case of “customer service” I have ever seen. I accompanied a friend to pick up a custom-made item ordered from a downtown store. Before picking up her order, my friend placed an additional custom order for two more of the same item. After placing the order, she received the original item, with smears and discolorations. My friend was rightly dissatisfied and requested that the problem be corrected or a refund of the $17 purchase price. The owner offered to re-do the order for an additional $10, which was not acceptable. I am not aware of anyone who gets paid to fix his/her own mistake. My friend then tried to cancel the order she had made just five minutes earlier, fearing that the quality would be poor as well. The owner flat out refused. I told her that this was not a good business practice. She replied, “I don’t care”. As we argued with this woman, she attempted to push my friend’s stroller out of the store — with her baby inside the stroller!!

The owner of this store may have so much business that she can afford to do substandard work, refuse refunds, and push small children out of her store. Perhaps others are willing to pay premium prices for mediocre work and a rude attitude. I seriously doubt it.

Pam MacDonald,

Lawrence