Is it normal for a high end furniture store to..

[Briant73]

Sounds like going to Duane's store will be a lot better than the "local" store you were dealing with. I know if his store was closer I'd make the trip also, especially with good food to be found in close proximity to the store.

[aaron]

Well, obviously they are working on commission, but they have also allowed the sales staff to control the customer - which means Management has a managing issue. Not good, as you can see it has left a bitter taste in your mouth!

I'm recalling an experience with a store that had salespeople on commission. When my salesperson (who had barely done any work beyond a brief discussion of a unit they had on the floor, and with whom I had no actual relationship) was absent on my return to make a purchase, a manager took over, found me a better product for the same price, and... the entire commission still went to the original salesperson. It shouldn't be difficult for a professionally managed store to deal with something like this.

[levitt11]

I went back today, minus allowing any sales people to discuss anything with me, I went to look again at particular pieces, get information, take pictures, write down what I needed; and at least five sales people kept approaching me. Although with each one I kept stating I did not need assistance, and I was firm on that today.

I have NOT shown my husband the menu's I have downloaded <lol>, that will come tomorrow after we are there, otherwise all I will hear is about when are we going to eat <g>; and I want to go to the store first and foremost

We are looking forward to going to Duane's store tomorrow, it will be a long drive, just heard on the news there is a massive tie up with traffic in our area on I95 heading down before we even get to Delaware, but I knew it would be that way.

[levitt11]

Okay, Duane is as nice as everyone states he is and was very attentive to us, and put up with my husband and I. Okay, we had a 5-1/2 hour drive down there due to traffic issues, and the way Mapquest took us, plus getting lost in the dark - don't believe Mapquest's directions! We still were tired the next morning when we got to the store, it was midnight when we arrived Friday night at the hotel <yawn>.

His store is great, there were a lot of pieces to look at and sit on and then to decide, even if you go there with your mind set with particular pieces you "think" you are going to purchase. Don't forget to go upstairs, there is a lot to look at there as well, some beautiful pieces we saw up there as well.

We ended up with the #2038NB Austin High Back Tilt Chair with the Austin Ottoman for my husband, rather than a recliner. Even though I had him sit in the recliner I thought he would be comfortable in, Duane suggested this Tilt chair with ottoman, and my husband loved it, as did I - almost to the point of us purchasing one for each of us - but our room size just would not support that design wise. So we also got the #9840 City Sofa with the Ultra Down Cores - both in Cavalier Oxblood, and had the sofa done with the same nail design as the chair has on it - to basically mimic it. There was the Austin sofa to match this chair - but being my height - my feet would not reach the floor - so the City Sofa it was in order for shorter people like me to be able to be comfortable sitting on it.

Now to prepare the living room for the new furniture - as the walls will not match this color - and other work needs done - isn't it always that way - you think you are going to do just one thing - and it turns into a lot bigger project

Thanks again Duane for all your help with the both of us, it was truly appreciated, my husband could not say enough about how helpful you were!!!

[drcollie]

You are most welcome! Thanks for making the long drive to the store, and I apologize for the distraction while I was being Air Conditioner Repairman (our ground level HVAC unit had clogged the drain vent during the night and I had a mini-flood soaked in the carpet of the store that I had to try to fix). It had to do that on a Saturday, of all days....

Good choices on both. That 2038 Austin High Back Tilt with an ottoman is pretty hard to beat for complete and total comfort.

Thanks again!

[levitt11]

Eh, the small problem with the HVAC unit was no inconvenience for us, things like that can always happen anywhere, we are used to water problems <lol>.

[Monique]

Ah, one of the joys of owning a small business. One of the things folks who have never had this experience don't realize. You get to do everything from mopping up floods to plunging the toilets. Our business was located on a corner and so our lawn would garner a lot of litter when people stopped at the light and threw out their trash. I used to say that you know how you can tell the owner of the business when everyone is pulling up for work in the mornings? He/she is the one picking up the litter on his/her way to the door.

levitt11, glad you found something. Visiting Duane's store was a clarifying experience for us...things just jelled. Sounds like it was for you as well.

Now for the most important thing? Where did you eat?

[levitt11]

We ended up just heading home, there was a horrible accident on Richmond Hwy as we left the store heading to a place to eat, and it was literally bumper-to-bumper, and we were going less than 1mph in this traffic - we needed to get gas. So we pulled into a gas station on the left side of the road. Getting back into that traffic was a nightmare, so we said forget about eating, and we just got on 95N and headed home and ate at when we got back home. Traffic was a nightmare the whole way home. We have never seen anything like this, except when there are games at all the stadiums downtown in Philly <lol>, then things are totally jammed up on 95 for us heading home, when all the games let out at one time <eek>.

Yes, things just jelled for us at Duane's store, and today we talked to our friend about new windows for the front of our house and finishing the siding there before the furniture comes, and a few other things. Lot's to do yet, in a little bit of time!