Berkeley Vacuum & Sewing Center — Local services in Berkeley

!!!DO NOT BRING YOUR SEWING MACHINE HERE!!!

I was charged $255 for almost none of the servicing or repairs I was promised.

I have an old Pfaff 461 industrial that was second-hand. I got the machine to stitch for myself after a thorough cleaning and timing. I was very proud of that. The machine worked just fine, but I had noticed that the lower oiling system was not spitting oil, and the feed dog shafts had disintegrated wicks. I decided to bring it in because I was so busy that I couldn't spend more time on the repairs myself anymore. I also wanted a professional to ensure it's working as it should. Turns out there are no professionals here. I thought, a repair place next to a popular fabric store, surely they must be good! I was wrong.

Alas, I brought my machine, spare parts I had, and a list of specific repairs I knew it needed. The work included replacing the oil wicks, applying new grease to the gears, replacing the grease gasket, and inspecting the lower oil feeding mechanism. I made sure that the age of my machine would not be a problem, and she assured me they could service and repair it.

They quoted me 2 weeks, and I agreed. They said they would call me when they needed to order parts or encountered any issues. By two weeks, crickets. So I call. I am greeted cheerfully, saying the machine is in perfect condition and is ready for pick-up. Would they have ever called me?

I am happy, wow! Everything is replaced and ready to go. I'd like to ask about the specific repairs that were included in the letter. She says no, they didn't do any of the repairs, they can't find the parts. The part in question: wool wicks.... She says that I have to buy them myself and bring them in so they can be repaired. I think: I don't want to wait another two weeks after the parts get delivered, that's a total of 6 WEEKS my machine is in their shop.

I decided to visit them, wondering what else they didn't repair from my comprehensive list. I arrive to find no technicians on site. The woman was coarse, questioning my knowledge of the machine since I got it second-hand. Saying that the machine is so old that it's hard to repair, something I made sure wouldn't be a problem when I left it with them in the first place. She tells me the technician will call me to answer my questions about the repairs that he made.

I never received a call for three days. At this point, I read all the terrible sewing machine service reviews, and I'm over it. I decided to go in person for the third time. I walk in to just a technician working who does not speak English well. I asked him what repairs were made. He goes on to tell me that he wasn't the one who did it, but the needle bar and hook were timed.

Okay... the most basic timing mechanism. What about feed dog timing? Reverse mechanism? Stitch length? I ask about the lower oiling tube, but he doesn't understand. Is the simple needle and hook timing the $255 service fee? He says yes. I was charged $255 to time the needle bar and hook. Unbelievable.

I look closer, and he says they oiled it. The reservoir is EMPTY. I REPEAT, EMPTY. He says the gears were greased. I come home and take off the bottom plate—no grease on the gears. I run the simple hook oil spitting test. No oil. I had to remove the oil tube to find a blockage. Surely they didn't even check it. I cleared this myself, by the way. I also ordered grease, new wicks, and a new grease gasket. They said they could not find these parts.

The only thing they did was time the needle bar and hook (by the way, it was stitching and had been timed before; this was the least of my worries), and added some drops of oil on the presser foot shaft. Otherwise, my machine was left dry and neglected. For a lovely price tag of $255, no communication, a questioning of my knowledge, and a feeling of betrayal.

Please, if you care about your machine as much as I do about mine, DO NOT bring your machine here. You will be lied to and...

I tried Berkeley Vacuum & Sewing Center because I wasn't entirely pleased with my experience at Richmond Vacuum & Sewing Center. I did not realize that they were owned by the same people and had the same technician until I brought my 1952 Singer sewing machine for a routine service.

In January 2022, my 70-year-old Singer cabinet machine needed some attention. I decided to go to Berkeley Vacuum & Sewing Center next to Stone Mountain -- and was surprised to see Wilson (from Richmond Vacuum & Sewing Center).

He promised to take good care of my favorite machine -- which I had carefully wrapped in blankets to prevent damage to the cabinet (taking the machine out of the cabinet requires opening up the motor housing and disconnecting the wires, a process that I wasn't confident in executing myself).

This was likewise very expensive: $150. When I went to pick up my machine, the surface of the cabinet had unrelated metal items sitting on top of the unprotected finished wood surface. Not cool, as there were deep scratches on the top of my cabinet as a result of mistreatment.

When I got my machine home, I noticed that someone had closed a tool or metal part between the top of the cabinet and the cover, leaving a noticeable indent on both sides.

Other issues:

Cabinet Spring Arm -- I had requested that they look at this and adjust it. Nothing was done.

Bobbin Winder & Handwheel Misadjusted -- Before taking in the machine, I had wound 40 bobbins. As a result, I did not need to use my bobbin winder for quite a while. When I tried winding bobbins recently, I noticed several new defects: the winder wheel won't snap down in place (I have to hold it with my finger so that the rubber wheel makes contact); and the even though I unlock the handwheel, the needle still moves up and down when I try to wind a bobbin.

Poor Customer Service -- After noticing the damage to the cabinet, I called several times to talk to Wilson but never got a call back. I was pretty disappointed with the treatment of my machine but also, customer service in the shop. Difficult parking and nobody offered to help me as I brought my machine in, not even to hold open the freaking door (I had to ask a passerby to hold the door for me). Even when I was taking the machine out of the shop to return home - not a single person in the shop could be fussed to help me with the doors.

This is a 70 year old sewing machine - it's not all that difficult to understand and it's a very popular machine. They should know how to service these things.

I won't be taking my sewing machines there -- and don't...

I brought an all metal, early 60s Super Deluxe sewing machine by White with a very powerful motor and an enormous amount of rust and oil buildup on the interior. I was a pretty demanding customer. When dropping off, I rushed in with very little time, as I had to use an Uber to get to the shop from San Francisco, and then go to a meeting. The shop accommodated me, patiently. I also came to pick it up right before they closed. I had traveled from San Francisco to Berkeley with the heavy machine because I had long loved the decades long brick & mortar shop. I was unsure about the new ownership and the quality of the work and asked the repair person to demonstrate that my machine was working, and he did so, even though it went overtime for his closure. His daughter was with him and she is absolutely a sweet, sweet soul and let me charge my phone after the store had closed. The service was not a bargain but it was not over-priced either; it was absolutely fair and I think another shop may have refused to touch the machine or charged more. My machine, which was non-functional ( I wasn’t even sure it would ever work) is working beautifully. In light of the amount of work done and the quality I feel fine about the fees. I know some were used to the very,very low prices of the former owner but the quality and the fair prices of the new owner make this shop in Berkeley a treasure. It was worth taking a very heavy old machine over the bay in an Uber to get it cared for. It’s very hard when a shop that you’ve known and loved a long time changes owners but my trust in the new shop and it’s quality is at 100%! So happy that berkeley sewing and vacuum is...