West Marine — Attraction in Marin City

This not a review of a store; it is a review of the company.

What happened to this company?! They used to be the goto spot for sailing and boating gear. Now the shelves are half full and it's months if ever before they restock the bits that are sold out.

Employees appear despondent and managers say customer service is non functional. The company was recently acquired and i would not hold my breath for survival, alas. [end of original review]

And now I see a "corporate mindset" reply to my review which utterly ignores the despair I and friends are experiencing in various West Marine stores. This acquisition is either going down to disaster or is going to refocus this company away from being a chandlery. Either is bad, imho.

In my area, Northern California, West Marine consolidated almost all the other chandleries and became pretty much the primary source of gear and equipment. Fine.

Since the acquisition it is not the same place and nothing so far, including that bland reply, suggests it is going to be as good, let alone better, than before.

To me this is a micro-example of how hedge funds and equity firms are destroying actual businesses in their endless...

This store is amazing!!! They have all the things you need from fishing stuff to boating things. Their staff is great, they are very helpful and kind. They also can answer all of your questions or concerns. Their general manager Neil is super nice and helped me(who’s kinda new to fishing) find the perfect rod and reel combo that is so amazing. Another great employee, Jeff spooled my reel and even helped me find what I need to put on my line from weights and hooks to different swivels, he even showed me how to tie a clinch knot!! He is such a great guy. The store is also well organized, clean, and they have great prices and deals. They have bait to buy from ghost shrimp, and anchovies to squid and more. This is one of the best if not best fishing...

Big thanks to Paris at West Marine Sausalito — made all the difference.

I had a return that could’ve easily turned into a hassle — but Paris stepped up and made sure everything got sorted the right way. He took the time to really understand what was going on, worked through the system with me, and made sure I wasn’t just another customer getting bounced around in a corporate maze.

It was clear he knew what he was doing and cared about making it right. That kind of help is rare these days, especially in a big-box environment. I walked out of there feeling respected and taken care of — not something I take for granted.

If you’re at the Sausalito West Marine and need real help, Paris is someone who...