Mt Juneau Trading Post — Attraction in Juneau

EDIT: Mt. Juneau has contacted me to explain what happened behind the scenes and has made amends with me. I feel encouraged that they listened and have raised my rating. Thank you for restoring my faith! I hope to visit again someday.

My husband and I visited in early May. We asked the manager, Jack, if we could order a custom piece. I asked for a hair stick with a scrimshaw carving of a wolf. He suggested a totemic wolf in the native style and also told me he had a piece of red wood that would match the ink in the carving. I asked him to make the base a blade shape rather than a post. I put down a deposit of $65 and was told 7 to 10 business days with an additional payment between $120 and $140 plus S&H.

I returned home and waited three weeks. After no package or calls, I called and spoke with Jackie. She apologized and said she would give Jack my message and ask him to call me. A few days later, with no calls or package, I called and spoke with Erin. I was told again they weren’t sure but would remind Jack to give me a call.

This repeated for weeks. Every 7 to 10 days, I would call, speak with Jackie or Erin, receive an apology, and be told they would pass my message to Jack. Once I was told that Jack “is pretty bad for forgetting messages.” After my first call, they told me they would be happy to give me a refund. This should have been a red flag. Eventually I told Jackie I would appreciate someone calling me back. I was frustrated with the lack of communication and the fact I had waited a month-and-a-half for a simple order. Jackie apologized and told me she would ask.

On 07/05, I called again and was told they were busy but would pass along my message to Jack and call me with an update. After two hours, I called again to cancel my order that was now two months late.

Jack answered. He told me my order was ready and he would send me a picture for my approval.

My original order was for a hair stick with a blade-shaped base of red wood and a carved scrimshaw piece with a totemic wolf in black and red. The picture I received was of a thin piece of bone, barely the width of a pencil, jammed into a piece of scrimshaw with a plain carved wolf head.

I called Jack and told him the picture did not match what I had ordered at all. His response was, “Okay, we’ll just get you a refund on that. I’ll have one of my girls call you back since we’re pretty busy right now.”

I called back and spoke with Jackie. They first quoted me around $115, and I told them my slip said $65. I heard her check with Jack, and she told me I had actually paid $55. I didn’t argue because I wanted the experience to be over. While Jackie processed my refund, I told her I did not hold her at fault but that to say I was disappointed and disgusted was an understatement. To have waited two months and to have called numerous times only to be sent a picture of such a slapshod piece was heartbreaking. A child could have done a better job. It didn’t match my order, most of which Jack had proposed. I told her their level of customer service was inexcusable.

I then said I was just a tourist they would never see again, and I knew my opinion would mean nothing to them. It wouldn’t lose them any business, and it wouldn’t matter to the staff. Jackie apologized, telling me she didn’t blame me. I told her I wanted Jack to know my feelings, and she said she would tell him.

I am currently waiting for my reduced refund to come through. I am disgusted with the total lack of communication and caring and the laughable caricature of my order with which I was presented. When someone gives me a timeframe, I expect them to honor it. I don’t expect them to offer me a refund every time I check in. I don’t expect them to never reach out to me. I don’t expect them to deliver an inferior product that does not match my order at all.

I was impressed with the wares on their shelves, and I bought many gifts that I really liked. They can produce great pieces. However, I would stay away from custom orders.

I expected better of...

Bought two H. Slwooko ivory carvings in the store to be shipped to Maryland. The only reason we wanted to have them shipped was to avoid any damage that could be sustained while on the road the following 10 days. When we got back I called and initiated the shipment. The two pieces arrived in a large box with loose bubble wrap around them. Consequently the bear with the salmon in its mouth was damaged. The fish was in three pieces in the box. They credited $250 for the damage but at the end of the day we ended up with a worthless art piece that we paid $1000 for. We decided not to pursue the matter and keep the piece for its sentimental value but we’re so regretting that we didn’t take the pieces with us. They don’t know what a professional packing means even though they told us that they do it all the time. So...

I really enjoy visiting Juneau for the first time. I would had like to see more of the natives there. I notice a lot of foreigner working in the local gift stores, restaurants and as I we walked the local area I might have seen a handful but I don't want to assume here. The photo's that I took are the places we went into to just look around and purchase some of our favorite things. My sister purchase some hamemade chocolates at the Alaskan Fudge Company and take my word, you should buy some too! So good! We also stopped for a bite to eat at a thai restaurant which satisfied...