HobbyTown — Local services in Bear

Allow me to preface this review with the positives first, as there are plenty. The store is well-organized, clean, and has a fairly broad and expansive selection of items to choose from. The prices are fairly-reasonable. While there are a few items I know I can purchase either online or with other retailers at a better price; the difference is small enough that it feels acceptable in the name of supporting small/local business.

My biggest qualm with the store is that they advertise, prominently and strongly-worded, a strict no return policy that applies to most of the inventory. This notice implores that if you have questions about products and their uses to please confer with staff prior to purchasing. While I could concede to this notion under the right circumstances, instead I found the experience altogether frustrating and disappointing.

I'm not particularly-expert on some of the skills/hobbies available for purchase, and perhaps this means the store is only looking to cater to individuals who are more-experienced. I asked the gentleman working at the store the questions I had on several products. While friendly, each question I asked (save for one in which he checked the price of an item for me) was met with him expressing that he did not know the answer. While having worked in retail allowed me to empathize with the notion that it is unreasonable to expect him to know every answer about every product; it is also a reminder that the solution in that event is to follow through with the customer by providing a solution as to where the answer might be obtained. Either an attempt to look up the answer by whatever means available, or referring me to other personnel such as the owner or a manager is a reasonably prudent expectation given the circumstances (particularly the no return policy that assures staff will be able to help with any questions). Even if the respective attempt was unsuccessful, my appreciation for the effort exerted would've softened the feelings of disappointment and dissatisfaction with the experience and I would be writing a far...

We’ve been customers of both stores since both were opened and have always had a phenomenal experience each time. Very knowledgeable staff and a great selection, the stores are always stocked and very clean as well. However, reading some of these reviews on here is just mind blowing.

Clearly people today have a hard time reading or they should go back to further their education so they can understand what “No Returns or Exchanges” means, it’s literally printed on the bottom of the receipts. It’s a Hobby Store, who would go bankrupt if they accepted every return because people changed their mind, got into a hobby without any prior experience and broke or damaged whatever they bought then expected to get their money back for something Hobbytown wasn’t and isn’t responsible for. With that said, they thankfully sell replacement parts for almost everything imaginable and if they don’t carry it they can get it, should you need it.

For the entitled guy who stated the owner said “it’s like buying a car” with no returns, that’s exactly how it is, go buy a car from a dealer and tell them you want to return it a month later, even if you never used it, unreal that it even needs mentioned. Take it from someone who has spent SEVERAL thousand at Hobbytown on countless occasions and not some keyboard hot shot who can’t comprehend the simple basics of doing business, Hobbytown (both stores) and the owners are fantastic locations and people, you won’t regret doing business there. And since pictures speak louder than words over 90% of what’s in my attached picture is from Hobbytown, like to see the negative people do the same, but that would require them to admit they were in the wrong, which never happens these days....

Leaving a slightly higher rating here as a means to convey my appreciation for the owner having replied to my review promptly. There also seems to be a drumming up/call to arms taking place in the reviews at this point, for which it is nice to see the community stand up in support.

Upon leaving my review I did not anticipate another customer would also be leaving a negative review on the same day, and as their review had some parallels in regard to the return policy- it appears that served to somewhat detract from some of the primary concern I was trying to convey about my experience.

Ultimately, having read the concerns and points expressed by the store owner about returns I fully agree with them and support their decision.

My primary struggle was that I had questions on some of the uses/materials I was interested in purchasing (please note I did patronize/make a genuine purchase from the store today for a little under $40) and that the conversation ended there. The sales clerk did not know the answer to the respective questions but then proceeded to make no effort in pointing me in the direction in which I could ascertain the information. To reiterate- I have no problem whatsoever with the personnel not having the answers on hand. I struggle with the notion that the store's implication that they're there to help with any questions was in stark contrast to the buck stopping at not knowing the answers. There was no genuine...