TROSA Thrift Store and Donation Center — Attraction in Durham

TROSA business on Oxford Commons, 3500 N Roxboro St, Durham, NC 27704, on Saturday April 1, 2017. I asked the cashier if they sold Metal stand up shelves for the garage. She pointed to the household furniture and told me to look over there. I walked to the furniture and did not see any so I started to the other side of the store. I passed another worker and asked her if they had shelves. She told me to go ask them guys over there they are not doing anything. I started to an area that had 5 (FIVE) guys, one was leaning against the counter, one was sitting in a chair looking at something on his cellular phone and the other 3 (THREE) guys was looking at the cellular phone also. The guy that was leaning on the counter I asked him if they had any shelves for the garage he said look over there. I said I am tired of looking over there can you show me? He said he was helping someone, and I asked how? He said he was looking for a customer lost furniture. I asked how? He said he could not help me. The other 4 (FOUR) guys did not even acknowledge me. I said that alright I will look for myself, I also commented that I have never been in a store with so many workers and nobody is willing to help you. I started at the back of the store where he pointed and did not see any shelves. I saw another guy and I asked him if they had any shelves for the garage and he said he believe he saw one. We started to walk down different isles looking for the shelf. I was getting tired of walking (the store is a big store). I went to the front and ask to talk to someone about the lack of help. The guy that was leaning against the counter came from the back of the cashier area and he was with the store manager (did not know he was the manager at the time). I ask if I could talk to the store manager and the guy that was leaning said that is her. I said what do I have to do to get help around here, the store manager said that the leaning guy was helping me and I said he did not help me (did raise my voice). The store manager said you will not holler at me, I said alright we are not going to get an understanding I would like to talk to someone else. He said he is the store manager. I told him it is someone else over him and I ask for a name and a telephone number to get in contact with his supervisor, he said that TROSA policy is not to give out telephone numbers only email addresses. He also told me that just because they were standing around it did not mean they were not helping anyone and I needed to be patience. I said they did not help me. He said he was helping you (raising his voice). I asked him what ever happen to customer is always right (he did not answer). I asked what was his name and he offered me his business card. I took the card and left. As I was leaving I saw two ladies sitting in an office like setting, I went back in and asked them if I could get the owner name and number, the lady started writing down the information. The store manager came over and asked them what they were doing and I told him they were helping me, he started raising his voice higher and asked them what they were doing, I said again they are helping me and asked why he was over here because you were not willing to help me. HE SAID I NEED YOU TO LEAVE YOU ARE HARRASSING MY EMPLOYEES. I was shocked I have never ever been in a place that I was asked to leave. I go to my car and called the owner and his secretary said he did not work on the weekend. I told her my story and asked that the owner call me. As of 12:30 on Monday 4/3/17 I have not received a called from TROSA. I called today to see if he was in and talked to the same secretary and I told her who I was and asked if the owner received the message and she said she did not know what I was talking about. I asked how she did not know since it was her who I originally talked to, she said she transferred my message to someone higher than her. She transferred me she said to the owner and received a voice message left a message and have not heard anything. It is evidence they are not concerned about my...

We have used Trosa for several years. Helping Mental Health and Substance Abuse clients get what they needed to live independently and furnishing property that we house ppl in. Over the last past 5 years we have spent thousands of dollars to Trosa and all to support the cause. Usually the staff knows us from our frequency and we are treated well until today! Yesterday we spent nearly $400 purchasing items for a clients home out if our pocket. The floor staff was beyond helpful and the cashiers were friendly but the loading crew had absolutely NO CLUE! Today we returned to the store to pick up our purchases from yesterday. At the loading area we were met by a nice gentleman who was friendly and working hard to get our items out alone. The manager Marilyn(something like that.) walked from her car in parking lot when the guy complained of not being able to take a break and he was working alone. She sent help and the nice guy took a rest. The 2 guys were absolutely lost. They rolled my items out unwrapped or properly covered and my table upside down as they loaded them on to the truck I didn’t realize until later they damaged the top of my table which were round gold balls that a glass top fit on. My chair was dirty from not being covered, and the dining room table was not taken apart the glass was still attached and unwrapped as well. My dresser also unwrapped. I was furious! From Durham to Wakeforest on the highway was too far to travel this way. When I asked why nothing was wrapped I was told they don’t wrap or cover furniture? So the dresser drawers and glass tops would just stay without being damaged huh? When I replied to them that I have never had my furniture just rolled out without any protection on it one guy replied Honestly we don’t have time! Oooh! So my items were in decent shape when I picked them but they won’t make it home and I’m just out of my money? I returned to the inside of store asking for a refund on just the dining set since they were unable to disassemble it due to the the bolts and honestly if they had it probably wouldn’t have ever been able to be reassembled because of the condition of bolts and the rust. This factor was absolutely not their fault but it also wasn’t made clear or visible the day that I purchased it. I was led to Ms Marilyn the store manager who was so nonchalant and gave me plenty of excuses. Her response was well none of the furniture is wrapped just look around. We don’t wrap furniture. Her sarcastic demeanor basically told me that my many years and many clients to whom we have spent thousands of dollars was unappreciated! Common sense, I didn’t need to look around to see nothing in the warehouse was wrapped, it doesn’t need to be unless it leaving the store Ms Smart Ass! I left the store as the truck that carried my items left before me and once we arrived 45 min to the property we discovered damaged table, 2 missing items, and I was livid! I called spoke with 2 nice ladies Ashley and unsure of the other lady who agreed to have a manager call me ASAP. A hour later no call! I called spoke back got tossed around to 3 different ppl and finally speaking with another manager. By this time my truck driver to whom I paid $80 to pickup and drop off these items to this client had left. Now I’m raging! Client doesn’t have everything I purchased, items damaged, items missing, and I have spent $400 plus the $80 to driver and idk where my other items are. Once I spoke to this lady she wasn’t as rude but wasn’t concerned or maybe she was just busy cleaning up behind the other managers mess. She did inform me that she was not authorized to do any store credits or exchanges but a refund was against store policy. Furniture that was still inside their store! Wow. So basically I purchased a dining set for $100 that I will never be able to transport because it can’t be disassembled, the table now need repair and 2 items that I have pay someone to pick up. =$600...

It's okay overall. I'm new to the area and am really unhappy with most of the thrift stores around here - there seems to be a lot but nearly all of them have a really weak selection, are poorly organized, and charge way too much for the items.

For clothing it's not bad. Usually you can find one or two items worth buying. TROSA has a pretty good selection, is fairly well organized, but are some of the worst in town for overly optimistic pricing on everything but clothing. Most furniture items start at $50 if you're lucky, and it's not uncommon to see dressers, etc. priced at $250+. They seem to think that just because something is an "antique" or "vintage" that they can charge an absurd amount - even when the item is damaged or outright broken. We bought one dresser there just because of luck - it was on sale due to not selling for a long time, but we bought another very nice, solid wood dresser off of Craigslist for $40, and after becoming very familiar with TROSA and their pricing structure, I estimate they easily would have tried to charge $150 for it. Ridiculous. There was some four poster bed in there the other day that yes, probably cost $2k new, but when it's full of dings and scratches you simply cannot justify charging $500 for it.

Their backstock section is HUGE, probably because they don't move enough product due to the obscene pricing.

They have loads of pianos, obviously priced by people who know little or nothing about them. Many need serious work and they still want $100+ for them. Speaking of which, they need to stop the customers' kids from banging on the pianos. Seriously. It's a given that if you walk into this store, some unattended brat is going to be banging away on a piano (read: damaging the merchandise).

They have delivery but it's expensive. $35 for a very small radial area around the store (