Uptown Cheapskate Huebner Rd — Attraction in San Antonio

The first time I came to this store a few days ago was by recommendation of a family member, and I thought it was suuuch a cool store aesthetic wise. I went during their Color Stamp Sale at 80%, which I was looking forward to. When you’re browsing the store surface level, you can see that they have a lot of cute stuff, but when you actually check the brand tags it’s mostly Shein and Fashion Nova- basic and cheap fast fashion. They have some hidden gems when it comes to shoes, like the ones shown below, but they’re mostly bigger sizes- 7/7.5 is very difficult to find. These were size 7 but fit more like an 8.5 or 9 (bummer!!). I found a few things, but nothing I was super excited about; I only saw about a quarter of the store’s stock on this first trip, so I knew I would return at a later date to see what else I could find when I had more time.

The second time I visited was yesterday, still taking place during their 80% off sale. I had come with the family member previously mentioned, brought some reusable bags to use as I was planning on buying a few things, and was actually excited to take my time and look for clothes. I had my reusable bag slung over my shoulder while I was shopping- mind you, it was large and brightly colored, so it is hard to miss- and one of the store associates approached me with instruction to empty out my bag and carry my things instead if I didn’t want her to take them to the counter and hold them for me. I wasn’t set on anything I was carrying, and I was swapping stuff out if I found anything better, so I obliged and held my stuff— they are selective and not very observant though with this bag policy (considering it’s to deter theft).

This store does not provide plastic bags as they’re trying to be “sustainable”, nor do they provide hand baskets or anything to help make shopping/browsing easier. I had actually brought a solid black reusable bag to use the first time I came here and was putting my items in there as I was shopping to have my hands free. Not one employee approached me to tell me to take my items out- maybe they didn’t see it, maybe they thought it was a purse- but at least be consistent. The family member that came with me the second time actually used the same black reusable bag I used and they were not approached either even though they were very obviously using it while shopping. I would think that the big, bright bag I had would be encouraged and accepted as, again, they seem to want to crack down on theft and it’d be pretty difficult for me to hide my items if I actually wanted to steal.

They have signs and cameras everywhere to combat theft, but!! Let me mention that one particular camera in the hallway of the fitting rooms seems to have a slight view into the first stall. I was crouching down to avoid the camera when I was changing because if I could see it I figured it could see me, which was very uncomfortable.

Overall, it left an ugly taste in my mouth to be hounded down as a customer and I was so ready to speed up my shopping and pay for the few discounted items I got. They (the company) could implement having brightly colored branded and sensored reusable bags for patrons to use and return, but that might be too much work for them and they seem very incompetent, as shown below. They put in soooo much work to deter theft that the sensors by the door constantly go off and they just say “you’re good!” when in reality it’s probably their own incompetency on display, as per my own experience…. 👇 Yeah... They actually left a sensor on one of the (six) items I bought this second- and last- trip to the store...

I can’t stop anyone from visiting and wasting their money here, but if you plan on going to support sustainability/thrifting and (hopefully) finding a bunch of pieces to add to your closet, I would recommend a different local thrift store entirely.

Thanks for the subpar experience! :) 🫶 I won’t ever visit y’all’s stores again! 🖤

P.S. For anyone interested in store accessibility, the aisles are very small. Wheelchairs...

SHOP AT YOUR OWN RISK SHOP AT YOUR OWN RISK! SHOP AT YOUR OWN RISK

I gladly obliged my [adult] daughter's request to check out the store. With a handful of hangers she went to try on her 'haul' in one of the first dressing rooms. I was assigned a dressing room towards the back.

I came out and saw my daughter looking miserably worried, uncomfortable and empty handed. She showed me a picture on her phone... OF A VIDEO CAMERA DIRECTLY ABOVE HER DRESSING ROOM. (They have no ceilings) Deducing that it would have a wide angle, she was simply beside herself with anger, embarrassment, and consternation. She left the clothes without trying them.

I IMMEDIATELY called the store manager aside and, without making a scene, explained the situation. She dismissed it as "a non-working camera that the owners haven't removed yet." She pointed out "live cameras" focused on registers and showed videos on a cell phone.

I rebuffed her dismissal stating that this was not good, safe and nobody could be sure! She'd report it.???🤬

What does looking at HER phone videos do to FIX THIS CRAP??🤬 This should've been addressed DECISIVELY AND IMMEDIATELY!!

COULD SHE NOT APPOINT A REP TO CLIMB UP THERE AND COVER THE THING WITH A BAG, PURSE, HAT, A COAT AND DUCT TAPE????? BETTER YET, CRACK IT WITH A HAMMER, OR A CLOG!

Though I saw none-and I always look- who's to say that my own room in the rear had no hidden cameras!

The flippant response was absolutely egregious.

SHOP AT YOUR OWN RISK SHOP AT YOUR OWN RISK! SHOP AT YOUR OWN RISK Thank you for your response, UPTOWN, however I believe you have missed the point.

I got a phone. You got a phone. All God's chi'ren got phones. How does one trust your phone's videos? You simply showed me live action from live cameras and none of it made sense... Especially when it's my daughter that was put in an awkward situation.

AND Don't you dare get indignant with me! AND don't feign concern when a month ago Gianni Aaliyah posted this quote..,

........They have signs and cameras everywhere to combat theft, but!! Let me mention that one particular camera in the hallway of the fitting rooms seems to have a slight view into the first stall. I was crouching down to avoid the camera when I was changing because if I could see it I figured it could see me, which was very uncomfortable........

You ignored a 'crouching customer' WEEKS ago!! This "trash cam" should have been taken care of weeks ago or even the same day new cameras more installed. You KNEW twas a bad look and did nothing. OWN IT.

THE LESSON?

Don't get so caught up in Customer Cash that you dismiss...

Unbelievably callus and terrible customer service. I was recently sent some extra shirts in an amazon order, that the company insisted that I keep because it was more hassle and expense to return them than they deemed worth it. The shirts were still sealed in the packaging from the manufacturer with the cardboard that button down shirts often come folded around that has inserts to keep the collar's shape. They are $45-$65 each depending where you get them, so when this place offered $10 I declined and asked for my shirts back. I couldn't believe it when the employee reached iver in to bin and pulled my items out of the bin and their packaging out of the trash. They didn't even cut the plastic they just tore it open like a kid on christmas morning. This was entirely unnecessary, and I indicated as much to the employee. She reacted as if she couldn't fathom why I might have an issue with them tearing up the packaging when I hadn't agreed to sell the items to them yet. I can understand if they needed to check the items before they paid for them, but there was no need to ruin the condition of the items in order to determine what they are worth. It seems to me that it would have been just as easy to make the offer for what the items were, which was clearly displayed on all the labeling, and once accepted they could open the items before they paid for them if they really thought that tearing the packaging open was so crucial. Now that is off the tip of my head. These people do this every day. Surely they could have come up with this simple measure to ensure they aren't causing distress to people by returning items to them in a different condition than they were received. Maybe they could take 2 seconds to ask before they do this kind of thing. They did not come up with this policy though, and they did bot ask me anything before ruining the condition of my shirts. Do not trust these people with any of your belongings, they will not respect them, and when you take issue with it, they will pretend that your complaint is over nothing....