Hewitt's — Attraction in Town of Guilderland

I’ve always liked Hewitts but thought their plants looked a little uncared for.. Staff has been always polite & helpful. Today I saw in the weekly flyer that trees and shrubs were half off. I had purchased a big Boxwood shrub during the summer and still have the receipt. The price card had said $160, but it was sold for $80. (No one in the area has been selling these boxwoods for $160. It was just the suggested retail price on the plant description card. So anyway, I see one in their outside perennial area. I saw the same card on it so I asked the young man outside about the price. He said he didn’t have an updated list, but he could write it up for $62. I said that didn’t seem right if they were offering half price so I asked him if I should go in and ask the cashier. He said that would be a good idea. When I went in the young girl said she had the price listed as $80. I said that’s ridiculous because it’s not half price. I think because they have the old suggested retail price on the plant description that they’re using the $80 as half price which is unethical. I won’t go back again. Another lady was outside looking at the prices and also thought that the 50% off prices were not accurate. I think I’ll...

I've always liked this Hewitts location but recently their customer service has really gone downhill. The staff has been generally rude recently and yesterday we called for advice about a tree we purchased from them several years ago. I wasn't looking for a replacement or anything - just advice on what to do because it started losing bark. The man (I won't call him a gentleman) that came to the phone told us that the only sell white pines so that's what it had to be. Not true. Anyway he then said it was animal damage and when we tried to explain that there was no sign of chewing he cut us off and again said it was animal damage. We offered to send a picture but he said he had no way to receive it so we had to come in. We then asked for a manager. He came back about 10 seconds later and said the manager said it was animal damage (it seemed to us that he really didn't ask anyone) and that's all they could say. We'll be heading to Faddegon's from now on. Pay a bit more but the service is MUCH better. I'm sad to see this formerly good nursery go...

I don't know what has happened to Hewitt's. Western Ave. Guilderland. I have spent $100's every year there for the past 30 years. For the first time, EVER I returned with an issue about an (perennial) Oleander (one of two that I purchased.) One was thriving the other clearly wasn't. They were treated identically and in virtually the same spot a few feet apart. The manager was rude and disinterested claiming I must've over watered, then underwater even though I kept saying that I treated them identically. He offered no refund or partial refund, or no opportunity for me to exchange it in the spring when they would get more in. Well now I have been going a few minutes further up Western to GADE FARMS. What a fabulous garden center. I had no idea. Amy, the manager, and her staff are super knowledgeable, helpful and friendly and genuinely seem to love the work. On the other hand the Guilderland Hewitt's staff I have interacted with the last year or so have been disagreeable, put out, and just plain sour. Sad to see this happen after being so loyal...