Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/26/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I made an appointment with *** at Art of Sewing to have my sewing machine cleaned on Tuesday Sept 24th, 2024, I Arrived there at 8:45 and *** told me to come back in 2 hours to pick it up. I arrived there at 11 AM and his son told me it was not ready to come back at 1 PM. I do not live in Kingsport so I decided to wait in his office. He apparently had another customer as I could hear him talking to someone. (when I made the appointment *** told me Tuesday the 24th was a good day as he had no other appointments and did not do classes on Tuesday) At l PM he came out with the customer and another customer came in and he completely ignored me and went to help the new customer. I confronted him that l should be next to be helped, and once again he ignored me, the customer left shortly, he went to the back room and came out 15 min later with my sewing machine, and did not even speak to me, he charged me $27.38. This is not totally about the money, it's about the way he treated me, and others should know how this BUSINESS MAN treats his customer. Today, Sept 26th, I called *** to see if he had cleaned my machine as it does not run any better than it did when I brought it to him, He said he did not clean it, he only repaired it and I told him that I brought it in to be cleaned, he then hung up on me, instead of trying to resole the problem. I then decided to file a complaint. ( he had originally told me that when he cleans a machine he goes thru it completely to make sure that. nothing is wrong. I had told him that the tension did not seem right.
  I think he should refund what he charged and hopefully this complaint will put a black mark against his business and he is not a good Business man

  Business Response

  Date: 10/05/2024

  I receive this person's letter day before yesterday have been expecting a response from you.  This business started in 1974 by my Mother and I purchased it in 1998. 

  This person called my business one day, talked to me and since I do most of the sewing machine repairs and have done so for 51 years, asked if we do home repair, which I informed her that we do not do that service.  She ask if we make appointments for repair and I said no, just bring machine in and we do them in order that we receive them.  She ask if we do machines for people while they wait I said no but we try accommadate customers from out of state if I am not busy.  The person showed up 15 minutes before the opening of the store and set her machine on my carrier.  I told the person I had classes and would not be able to get to the repair until after 2 pm and she should leave it till tomorrow.  She asked me directions to the Chamber of Commerce, I told her and she left.

  Approximately 10:45 my son, not an employee of the store (and as a favor to me) was setting at the desk to answer the phone and wait on customers while I was in the back classroom teaching, came back to the classroom and said this person had returned and wanted her sewing machine fixed.  I told him to tell her that I would not be able to repair her machine until after 2:00.  This person decided to set in my shop instead of doing other errands.

  At 1:30 my class was over, ******* , another customer that had driven from NC to buy a sewing machine.  I greeted her and started to show her a sewing machine and to be perfectly honest, did not see this person STILL SITTING in my business and proceeded to show her a sewing machine..

  I remained calm took her machine to the back in the repair room, fixed her machine, returned it to the carrier and my son charged her $25 ( take in charge) instead of the 69.95 for a complete sewing machine service which includes cleaning, oiling and re-setting adjustments and sewing in..  The $25 charge is plainly stated on a laminated sign on the carrier :  "$25 Bench Charge  For ALL SEWING MACHINE REPAIRS ($25 will be applied to the service bill if repaired) .  This customer did not have her sewing machine SERVICED, I reset her tension assemblies and sewing her machine in with a brand new needle.  

  She would of been charged the $25 plus tax "take in charge "whether I repaired the machine or not.  This person is not a customer of mine nor do I want her in my business anymore.

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/08/2024

  
  
  Complaint: 22343769
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  I did make an l appointment with *** to clean my sewing machine and he asked that I be there at 8:45 as he had no classed on the 24th of Sept. he also said that I could return around 11 am to pick  up the sewing machine, I live one and a half hours one way to Kingsport and decided to wait for my sewing machine, thinking he had started cleaning the machine. The machine was in there for cleaning not repair, and I do not think that he did any adjustment, but charged me $27.38 for ??? 

  
  

  I cannot honestly believe that he did not see me  sitting there  by the front desk, he passed me several times and did not look  at me. He brought my sewing to the front of the store, did not look at me or talk to me.

  This could have all been avoided if he had not  hung up on me when I called to find out what he had done to my sewing  machine, that is when I decided to file a complaint.

  
  

  I think that he should refund what he charged me, as the machine seems to be worst that when I took it to him.  I'm almost thinking that he deliberately did something to my machine,as he was upset with me speaking up in front of his customer.. when he caused it all.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ******* *********