Took My Mother to Tandy

[gunfighter48]

Brought my mother, who will be 80 in March, up to our house for the New Years weekend. I needed some stuff from Tandy (not really but couldn't pass up their sale) and their sale was good until 12/31, so took my mother with me. The store is in north Seattle. The manager is Dave, just a great guy to be around and very knowledgeable. He knows me very well, he should I have dropped a bundle in his store over the last year!! So he asked me who's the lady with me and I tell him my mother. He says HI MOM and my mother didn't know what to say at first. So she said HI SON, he got a big kick out of that.

Anyway I'm looking at stamping tools and above the rack are samples of wallets, folders, etc. My mother spots a wallet she just loved. It's carved in Sheridan style and extremely well done. She pointed it out to me and commented on how nice it was. I'm thinking that if they have that style in stock I'll get it and make it for her. Anyway Dave comes over and asked her if she likes that wallet and she says "yes but I can't afford to buy it". Dave says it's yours and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. She wouldn't take it, folks her age have a hard time taking anything they didn't pay or work for. So he asked me if I'd take it and give it to my mother and I said sure (I on the other hand have no trouble taking freebies). So she winds up with an excellently carved wallet. It just made her year!!!!!!! While I'm shopping Dave takes her in hand and shows her what all the different hides are and what animals they came from. She had a blast, couldn't wipe the smile of her face a day later!!!!!!!!!! Great way to start the new year.

Great customer service like I used to see 40 years ago and Dave knows I'll be back!

John

Edited January 8, 2008 by gunfighter48

[Beaverslayer]

People like that are a treasure to find. Great story, and say "Hi Mom" for me as well.

Ken

[Kani]

That is such a great story. Tell your mother Happy New Year. It's nice to know people like that are still around. I think we have some of those people here on this forum. Helping others. Thanks everyone.

[wolvenstien]

Stories like this are very cool. It is very rare to get customer service like that.

[jammon]

I have to say that was really the same kind of treatment I received at the local Tandy store. My wife went in to pick up some snaps for purses/bibs that she makes and the kids and I went in with her, half way through the trip three of my kids and I are sitting at the table stamping hearts and braclets after the invitation by one of the employees. By the end of the trip I had bought tools and agreed to bring my daughter to a tooling class, where I got hooked because one of the employees really took the time walk me through the whole process : )

[JohnBarton]

All the Tandy Stores I have ever been to were staffed with knowledgable friendly people. I like buying from Tandy because of this.

[wildrose]

I have to say that the store in Allentown, PA (where you'll find Jeff and Talina) is excellent too. They are "transplants" from TX, and definitely got the PA winter welcome last year when the store first opened (lots of ice with snow on top). They are helpful and friendly and I've never had a problem there that they didn't resolve quickly. They run classes every Sat. morning on a variety of topics.

[skip]

As a Business owner and a customer of Tandy Leather I would have to say they rank up there with Cabela's and Nordstroms as far as service goes. their managers are truly people that enjoy making people and especially their customers happy.

About six months ago I needed some Black Antique for a customer's belt the tooling was done and I was out of Black antique. Knowing that Febings isn't going to make it any more I was trying to get a big 32 oz jar of it. I ordered it from my Tandy dealer and she couldn't find it any where. she after a month went by found a four oz jar and sent it to me free of charge because it took her so long to find it.even though it took a month to get what I needed she didn't have to give it to me for free. that is service and I will continue to buy several items there because of that kind of service.

[wildrose]

LOL on the Cabela's part of that: I worked there for a few months at the store here in Hamburg - they are WRETCHED to their employees (the management is, I mean) I have worked alot of different jobs over the years, from 10 years at a college, to an auto parts store, to a greenhouse, etc etc, and I never had a worse boss than I did at Cabelas. And I heard the same from other dept employees.

[Johanna]

I worked for the older incarnation of Tandy, and everything was on a shoestring, but I can't say I've ever had a sweeter job. I never made much money, but I looked forward to opening the store every morning. The Tandy store attracted a variety of interesting friendly customers, I got to travel to events and camps and wherever the customers were, and some days they paid me to play. I would get an idea in my head, sit down and make it, and sell the stuff so everyone that liked it could make one too. The local leather guild met in my store, and they would help me teach anyone who was interested. Customers would call, I'd pick out the hide I would buy if I were them, and I'd ship their stuff knowing they would drop in the next time they were in town for a cup of coffee. If Tandy opened a store near here I would be begging for it, but I probably live too far off the beaten path. How many jobs do you have in your life that you can honestly enjoy every day? Tandy was one for me.

Johanna