Tandy stores...3 strikes. (rant)

[antipaladin]

I almost always purchase my leather via mail order, but on occasion I've had need to go into a Tandy leather store for a double shoulder for cartridge loops or other low end tasks. Unfortunately, most of the hides in their stores are complete and utter crap even though the prices are high. I can buy a beautiful Sedgewick bridle back for the cost of a rancid Tandy side. I actually don't mind much because it gives me the chance to get a firsthand view of what defective hides look like. (stretch marks, brands, runoff, holes, etc.) What I do mind is getting the "cold shoulder" from the staff for inadvertently "messing up" the stacks looking for the one hide out of 50 I can actually use. Maybe if they put the good ones in one place I wouldn't have to spend 2 hours looking for them....maybe I'm crazy for thinking it's poor customer service to bitch at a customer instead of saying "I've noticed you seem to be pretty picky about the quality of what you buy...why don't you call me the day before you come down and I'll pick out a few pieces for you so you don't have to waste half your day here? Maybe, heaven forbid, "Can I help you find something?" then actually LOOKING for a quality piece instead of expecting me to take the first random hide thrown on the table regardless of defects and rolling your eyes.

I know I'm shopping at the restaurant equivalent of McDonalds, but I'm not looking for Filet Mignon. I just don't want to buy a hamburger with cigarette butts in it.

In any event, I don't care how inconvenient it is to wait for mail order leather, I'm never setting foot in a Tandy store again. <rant off>

Edited February 1, 2009 by antipaladin

[Kani]

Hate to hear you had a bad experience. Our Tandy store manager is very nice. I rummage thru alot of stuff and they have never acted or done anything to make me feel that way. Matter of fact Steve goes out of his way to help.

Sounds like you had a horrible experience with the clerk. I don't think Tandy Corp. would care for people like that running their stores. Was it the manager or just a clerk. If clerk I would talk to the manager about them.

[Ian]

The guy who owns the Tandy close to where I am is a nice guy, and very helpful, but I think he knows and is embarrassed by the low quality stuff he has to sell. Tandy is cutting it's own throat and those of their franchisees by continually downgrading the quality of their products. There was a time when people had few options except for their local Tandy. With the Internet, it is no problem to find professional quality leather, hardware and supplies.

Not that they are asking my opinion, but if they did, I would suggest they carry items in two grades: craft and professional. Though, considering the prices for what they currently sell, I hate to think what they would charge for high grade stuff.

It's too bad though, because it would be nice to be able to buy locally and support a small business. However, hardware that rusts, grade C leather and Ecoflo (aghh!) keeps me away unless it's a real emergency.

[Rayban]

I almost always purchase my leather via mail order, but on occasion I've had need to go into a Tandy leather store for a double shoulder for cartridge loops or other low end tasks. Unfortunately, most of the hides in their stores are complete and utter crap even though the prices are high. I can buy a beautiful Sedgewick bridle back for the cost of a rancid Tandy side. I actually don't mind much because it gives me the chance to get a firsthand view of what defective hides look like. (stretch marks, brands, runoff, holes, etc.) What I do mind is getting the "cold shoulder" from the staff for inadvertently "messing up" the stacks looking for the one hide out of 50 I can actually use. Maybe if they put the good ones in one place I wouldn't have to spend 2 hours looking for them....maybe I'm crazy for thinking it's poor customer service to bitch at a customer instead of saying "I've noticed you seem to be pretty picky about the quality of what you buy...why don't you call me the day before you come down and I'll pick out a few pieces for you so you don't have to waste half your day

I know I'm shopping at the restaurant equivalent of McDonalds, but I'm not looking for Filet Mignon. I just don't want to buy a hamburger with cigarette butts in it.

I get nothing but helpful service at my local Tandy store...I wonder if your attitude has anything to do with it???

[BillB]

I have been very happy with the Tandy Store in Richmond, Va. The owner knows the work I do and when I call in an order they always look for and send me quality hides. To keep the record straight, I work in the 3,4,5 oz range. Even when I have gone to the store, the owner has been very help full by pulling out all the hides of the weight I am looking for and personally going through each one to find the highest quality hides for me to choose from and then worrying about the mess later. I don't know if there is a regional difference going on here since I don't know which of the tannery's Tandy is pulling from. One thing I have learned over the years is not to buy from the "On Sale" racks from ANYONE since that is usually the "Left Overs" that no one else wants. The other thing I have never looked into but have a feeling may apply is which store is Tandy owned and which Tandy store is a Franchise owned store. One final comment is in regards to any large corporation with stores/dealers: there will always be good stores and bad stores and mediocre stores whether they sell leather products or Cars or Motorcycles.

BillB

[Go2Tex]

Yeah, in a pinch I've resorted to trying to find a good piece of leather at a Tandy store. It's hard, but I've never had an employee give me a hard time about looking. They usually are very helpful. It's just that they don't have much good leather and it's no bargain. You pay top dollar for it. Now, that's veg tan, tooling stuff. They have lots of other leather that is useful at times, lining, chap, splits, hair on. Like I said, in a pinch.... saves on shipping and you can touch and feel. At least you walk out knowing what you have. Plus, as long as you're there, pick up some rubber cement, try some new dye color, a few replacement blades, lace. Might as well pay for your gas in savings on shipping.

It would be nice if they would listen up here and start carrying better quality leather. I just hope the economy doesn't drive them out of business.

[antipaladin]

RE: Attitude

Actually I like to think I have a good attitude. I'm pretty much a live and let live, Zen kind of guy. I don't expect to be treated like royalty, just like a good customer. And it's not every Tandy store. Boston, Pennsylvania, several in California have all been wonderful.(still lousy leather, but nice) Probably my biggest mistake is expectations and showing some frustration about how high the prices are and the quality. When I call Siegel's, the customer service rep has often spent 30 minutes or more on a call with me, sometimes having to personally check stock for specific aspects of an order, always with a cheerful attitude. Maybe I'm just a grumpy middle aged man who wishes the world was more like the good old days when people seemed to be more polite to each other and everything wasn't so impersonal. I've gotten it out of my system now.

Edited February 1, 2009 by antipaladin

[antipaladin]

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Edited February 1, 2009 by antipaladin

[Drac]

hopefully your tandy issues didn't happen at the one in atlanta. every time I go into that one, everyone that works there is super friendly and helpful not only to me, but to everyone that comes in while I'm there. yeah, the vegtan and suede hide quality at tandy is hit or miss these days, but the service (since jimmy was put in as manager at the atlanta location) has always been really great.

[skipj]

I didn't know all Tandy stores weren't owned by Tandy! Learn something new every day.