Cal Student Store — Local services in Berkeley

To whom this may concern,

This weekend's visit to the Cal Student Store was an absolute delight, especially with the bustling energy from several tour groups from Southern California. Amidst the vibrant campus life, the exceptional customer service provided by Elon and Michele stood out, making my experience not just enjoyable, but truly memorable.

Elon's presence on the second floor in the women's department immediately made me feel welcome. His greeting was warm and sincere, setting a friendly tone right from the start. His knack for understanding customer needs and his eagerness to help were evident as he guided me through a wide selection of items, sharing insights and suggestions that perfectly matched my taste and preferences. Elon's approach made shopping not just a task, but a genuinely pleasant experience.

On the first floor, Michele's welcoming attitude and sense of humor added a special touch to my visit. Her ability to mix professionalism with a light-heartedness made picking up mugs and souvenirs more than just a shopping errand; it became a highlight of my visit to the Cal campus. Michele's infectious enthusiasm and genuine care for customers transformed the store atmosphere into one of the most welcoming I've encountered on any university campus.

The Cal Student Store truly stands out for its exceptional atmosphere, surpassing any other campus store I've visited across various universities. The combination of Elon's attentive service and Michele's joyful demeanor contributed to a sense of warmth and inclusion that is all too rare.

I wanted to take a moment to share my wonderful experience at your beautiful campus and to extend my heartfelt kudos for the outstanding service received. The Cal Student Store has indeed got it right, providing not just a place to shop, but a memorable part of the Cal campus experience. My visit was a testament to the store's commitment to excellence in customer service, making it a must-visit destination for anyone coming...

If I could give no stars, I would have. I am writing to express my severe dissatisfaction and concern regarding a recent experience at the Cal Student Store. Today, 7/14/24, I encountered an lady employee, who appeared to be of Mexican descent, who was visibly intoxicated and under the influence while working.

The smell of alcohol was unmistakable, and her behavior was extremely loud and rude. It is highly unprofessional for an employee to be at work in such a state. She was stumbling around the store, her speech was heavily slurred, and she was unable to conduct herself appropriately. This situation is not only a liability to your company but also creates an unsafe environment for customers and staff alike.

When I asked to speak to a manager, I was shocked to learn that the intoxicated individual was, in fact, the manager on duty. This revelation made the situation even more troubling. I felt deeply sorry for the other employees who had to work under such conditions.

I will be filing a formal complaint with UC Berkeley about this incident as my experience was horrendous. Immediate action is necessary to address this issue and ensure that such behavior is not tolerated in the future. This is definitely not a place I would want to spend my money, I'm ashamed to be an alumni with representation like this representing...

Update 04/2025: After one year the embroidery is actually still on the sweater. The issue on the picture is still the same but alas the thread hasn't come loose as I expected. I stand corrected. The unfriendly employee and store policy is still a major downer so I only give 3 stars for the sweater.

Original review: BEWARE: SCAM I bought an embroidered Berkeley sweater in this store, washed it once and the embroidery already was broken. As this is extremely bad quality, I wanted to return the sweater the week after I bought it, but they didn’t want to take it back despite me having the receipt. The clerk insisted on “store policy” that they only take unopened merchandise back and upon telling him that this is unacceptable and that he could not sell garbage to the people he was hiding behind the company and that he personally didn’t sell it. So, once you notice that you bought overpriced garbage, they will not take it back. I guess most customers are tourists and can’t come back with their faulty product. Don’t support this business model. Attached you see the Cal quality they...