West Marine — Attraction in Culver City

I've been shopping at this West for about 30 years, maybe more. I even worked part time in the wholesale division many years ago. Let's start with the general condition of the store. Dirty, disorganized and poorly stocked. Items on shelves frequently have the wrong labels underneath them. Now let's talk about the last week. I was there 3x. Each time I walked away empty handed. I must have been looking for some odd esoteric items, right? Yes I was; you know like bungee cord, one inch hose clamps and crimp on connectors for 12 gauge wire. I gets worse. We had been told on the phone that the bungee should be an instock item and he would order it and it would be on the Thursday Truck. We went in on Friday only to find out we had driven down there for nothing. Not only was it not there, iit had never been ordered. With the hose clamps, 2/3rd of the display was empty. It was the same way with the crimp on connectors, they had virtually none in the most common sizes. The answer is always the same, you could order it online and have it sent to the store in 3-4 days. If I wanted to order it, it wouldn't be from West; it would be from any number of other online vendors where not only will it be significantly cheaper, it won't have the 10 percent sales tax. I used to be in the ski business and one of the consultants told us, "Charge what you're worth and be worth what you charge." West Marine is failing that equation and I for one realized it's not worth the bother and will stop running over there expecting common items to be in stock to help me finish today's projects.

We'll talk about the parking and employess...

I already shared my experience with yelp, but I thought I’d also let Google know too. I don’t know how you guys have four stars on Google, but your employee Melinda is absolutely awful. Had the worst experience at this location today 10/08/2025 Melinda tried to fight me over their dirty restroom. My bf and I went to purchase bait, I asked to use the restroom and with an attitude Melinda told me the restrooms were for “paying customers” only. I told her we were paying customers, I just had to use the restroom really bad. She treated me and badly still didn’t tell me where the restroom was located. She sent her coworker to assist me, probably hoping he was going tell me the same thing BUT he was nice enough to walk me to the restroom. Even after my boyfriend purchased the bait and we were leaving she tried to start an altercation by telling me to step back inside her place of work (so we can fight). This place needs to stay away from hiring users. Melinda clearly has a problem and needs to seek treatment and mental help. By the way, the restroom was absolutely disgusting. I have photos of how nasty their restroom was, and Melinda is no better or cleaner than that restroom. (: I also regret letting my boyfriend spend his money at this...

I've often been disheartened by retail experiences where staff seem disengaged or disinterested. This was the polar opposite. I was having a particularly difficult time finding what I needed, feeling quite stressed like a traveler who’s missed their train. I explained my predicament to a staff member and their response was nothing short of remarkable. They didn’t just offer a quick solution; they actively listened, empathized with my situation, and went above and beyond to help me find an alternative. It was like having a personal problem-solver, someone dedicated to finding the best possible outcome. This reminded me of a parable about a good Samaritan who stops to help a stranger in need. This staff member embodied that same spirit of compassion and helpfulness, turning what could have been a disastrous shopping trip into a positive and memorable one. Their dedication to customer satisfaction was truly exceptional, making it a well-deserved...