Sarah K.
Yelp
I've been to Sole Food many times, and own a few pairs of their rather pricey shoes. A few weeks ago, I decided to brave the Sidewalk Sale, which is always veritable zoo of sale-hungry, blood-thirsty women buzzing around a discount rack like a bunch of wasps. It is always something one must venture into after a glass of wine...or two.
My friend and I came across Sole Food's table, where there was a 70% off discount on the lowest marked price. Bingo. My friend and I started raking through the mountains of shoes and, lo and behold, there were the red suede Kenneth Cole pumps I had tried on the first day they arrived at Sole Food. Originally priced at $210.00, it was a huge no-go until now....they were $70 ish. Sold, of course. As I was fighting my way through the sea of people into the checkout line, I noticed a lot of black scuff marks/stains on the body of the shoe, and the bottoms of the shoes were already semi-worn from being tried on. I know they sell suede cleaner, or would have advice, or perhaps since the shoes looked second-hand they would be the polite salespeople I have become accustomed to at U. Village, and further mark them down.
Ohhhh no. Think again. I get to the register, see my friend who is working there, and hope I get to ring up with her. Wrong again. I get the rudest, most indifferent girl I've ever come across down there. I know it's big sale day, and everyone is frazzled, but...really?
Here's how it goes. I tell her about the problems with the shoe, show her, and ask if she has any suggestions or could do something to fix them. She pops off. "Well, considering they're already more than half-off, and on the discount table, I guess you just need to deal with it. And if you actually intend on wearing these shoes, the bottoms are going to look even worse, don't you think?"
I was pissed. I said I was simply asking if there was a suede cleaner available for purchase. She replied shortly with, "No. $74.94, please."
Bottom line, I don't appreciate attitude when I'm giving you my hard-earned money. Being polite isn't difficult, even when you're stressed. If I hadn't been so attached to the shoes, it would have been a sale-lost, and I'm hoping that she's lost a considerable portion of clientele from that mouth of hers. Maybe she'll recognize the wake-up call.
Boo, sole food.