Welcome to my first bad review. This place sucks so royally, and here is why.
On Feb. 6, 2009 I went in to Jazzy Jems http://jazzyjems.com/ to hopefully do a little shopping, but mostly I was interested in ordering a custom necklace with my girls photos on it. Kelli has one, from this place, and I love hers. I know that other websites do them, but I figured since I was in Arlington and it was somewhat on my way home, the girls and I would just swing by.
Ashlee was cranky and I kept apologizing. I said, "well, I could sit her on the floor while I finish shopping and she could eat a cracker"
The owner, Teenya, said, "well only if she does not make a mess on the floor"
I said, "nevermind"
I know. Maybe I should not have even said a word. Maybe I beat myself up later for having a cranky toddler in a store with me. Maybe I felt bad for even suggesting she eat a cracker in public. What is wrong with me? I know, selfish, for me to think a cracker might keep her quiet long enough for me to finish.
I had already asked about the custom order necklace. Teenya said, "they take about a week to make"
I said 'great' and was secretly glad I'd get it back in time for B's cheer competition on Feb. 22nd.
I spent $132.00 in her store that day. That was NOT towards the necklace. She didn't ask for money up front for the necklace. I spent $132 on other items, a shirt, a necklace, a couple things for Miss B- trinkets or treasures of some sort. It isn't like I go throwing hundreds of dollars around like it is nothing. I do it when I seem to across things that are unique and then that impulse to treat myself moves in. I figure, 'why not' I work too!
That night I emailed two pictures of my girls that I spent time fixing up, changing colors, changing sizing to Teenya, the owner and the necklace maker. In my email, I name drop, Kelli. Certainly she'd remember one of my BEST FRIENDS! She made her order special b/c Kelli's husb was in Iraq. I had the best impression of this place. And BTW, I think Kelli deserved anything and everything she got 'extra' while her husband was in Iraq. Have you ever watched a dear friend be without her husband for a year? It is agonizing really. I guess that is why I cried so much the day he got off that plane and ran in to her arms. So keep in mind, I wasn't hoping for any kind of deal, I just wanted this lady to know that she was referred by a good friend.
She emailed back pretty fast, said the pics looked good.
Well here, here is what she said
The pics look great what size are we doing? 1 x 1 or 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 and do you want 2 charms or a child on each side of one charm?
Teenya
--
Teenya Blanchard
I responded right back and picked the larger size. I didn't pressure her for any end date. It really wasn't earth shattering. However, a week turned in to 2 pretty quickly. I called on Feb 16th, Teenya answered. I said, "hi I was calling to check on the status of my custom order necklace"
Teenya, "Is this Candice?"
Me, "yes"
Her, "It isn't ready"
Me, "um, ok, thanks, bye"
What the? How about a time frame? I felt uneasy, like I had bothered her. On the
20th of Feb. I called back. I didn't want to but at least I could say, that it had been two weeks and I was just curious to find out when my order might be ready. I am not the kind of person that would peg her down and say YOU SAID ABOUT A WEEK LADY. I am much too easy going for that. If it was going to take longer, just tell me, email me, anything! I promise, I will understand. On the 20th, a different lady answered. I explained who I was and that moment she said Teenya was walking in the door (yes that is really her name, Teenya, it isn't a typo). The worker lady says, "Candice Heinsohn is checking on the status of her order"
I HEAR WITH MY OWN EARS "I'll have it tomorrow"
Worker lady, "She said she'll have it up here tomorrow"
Me, "I have a lot going on and I don't live in Arlington, could you give me a time frame?"
She asks and Teenya said late morning.
The next day, feeling sick, having lots of stuff on my plate, i.e my dad in town, a window being installed at my house, cheerleading competition the following day....did I mention feeling sick? I was certain I was getting the flu or a bad cold. I felt achy and nauseas. I had to go out to James Avery in Southlake to pick of B's charm bracelet that we were giving her after the competition, then I picked my sister up at my house and we headed out to Arl. It was not late morning, it was late afternoon. I should have called. In my gut I knew I should have, but I called the day earlier and this was when I was told to come. The only reason I was trucking across the metroplex was so I could wear it on competition day. So, feeling sick or not, I was going. I get there and guess what, a different worker lady couldn't find my order. I tell her my whole story. I tell her that they are just going to have to mail it, I do not live in Arlington. I tell her that I have not been treated w/ professionalism.
She said that Teenya went home sick that morning. SO AM I LADY! I AM THE CUSTOMER.
I was angry. How dare they not call me! A simple phone call could have saved a lot of hassle for me. Everyone was telling me to just blow them off. I kept saying, "yes but I want my necklace"
I get home and look at the receipt of the things I had purchased on Feb. 6th b/c I wanted to return it all, but ALL SALES ARE FINAL. NO EXCHANGES. NO REFUNDS. Don't get me wrong, I loved my stuff, but it is just stuff, stuff I can find in Colleyville, Southlake, and Grapevine. In fact, I have a good review brewing for Paiges in Colleyville where I bought a kind of pricey knitted wrap, and the women there made me feel like a million bucks! I didn't just have my two kids, I had Kelli and her two kids w/ me! Of course our kids were being good but in a boutique, come one now!
Ok, back to Jazzy crappy jems, I get a message a few days later from Teenya, apologizing and willing to mail it, and "it is being worked on right now". She said she was really sick w/ the flu.
My friends asked me, "what are you going to do Candice"
I said, "I already sent her an email saying that I understood and that mailing it to me would be great, but to just contact me and maybe it would be a time when I had reason to drive to Arlington. (My friends, all of them, said I was being way too nice)
NO RESPONSE.
NO EMAIL BACK.
NO ONE HAS CALLED ME. That was the week of Feb 23-27. What is today's date? MARCH
23RD. That is what today's date is.
At this point, it is a lost cause. I am not going to email her. All I can do is write this negative review and NEVER shop there again (which sucks because they do have cute items)
This is really unlike me, to get this ticked. I really liked the merchandise and I was so excited about my necklace (which I plan to order through WWW.ETSY.COM) from someone who is trying to make an honest living in a tough economy and who will treat me with the decency I deserve. I don't feel I deserve it because I'm uppity. I'm not snobby. However, maybe that is the problem. I am just a sweet Southern girl who is nice to everyone! Hello? Remember how nice I was to the freak in Walmart!? I really do not have a mean bone in me. In fact, this review was hard to write. However, clearly I was done wrong. Clearly, the owner had no intentions of keeping a potential returning customer happy.
Part of me wants to tell everyone I know not to shop there. Do I really need to do that? I know that positive word of mouth is what helps small businesses thrive. Negative word of mouth does wonders too. Make your own decision. Just know it is my MISSION to find AWESOME and UNIQUE boutiqes in the area that are pleasant. In fact, I may be putting the 'cracker' incident to test. I ask that you do spread the word of this particular review because in the positive ones coming up, I will be asking the same of you. There is a rustic furniture store owner in Haltom City that told me she couldn't afford 'fancy advertising' and that she had to choose leaving the AC running over leaving all the neat lamps lit to cut costs. Her stores review is coming. I figure if these stores can provide me with good service and good deals, the least I can do is spread the word. People have been good to Michael and I over the years. I got an old job back that I never expected to have back. I am GRATEFUL in a crappy economy. I am so relieved not to worry where the funds are going to come from to pay for my mortgage and groceries.
I just want to pay it forward.
This negative review, it was a must. No one should ever be treated with such disregard.
