Arona Home Essentials Cedar Rapids — Local services in Cedar Rapids

When we first leased furniture from this store it was the national brand of Aaron's. We started out with a living room set and a dining room set. After the first month we called and asked them to take living room set back, as we realized we couldnt maintain both payments at that time. They graciously came and picked up the furniture, leaving us with the dining room set at roughly $80 dollars a month. This was back in late 2019. We kept paying the monthly bill, sometimes late due to the pandemic of 2020, my husband was laid off alot during the year, I lost my mother that year also, and I lost my income, we also gained 2 more kids in 2020. Needless to say we had alot of unexpected events happen to us and 2020 was awful to us just as it was to many people. The owner of Aaron's was very understanding of these issues and we were never more than 2 weeks late or so. He would call and check to see if we had the payment or not and we could give him a date of when we expected a payment, etc. And they had excellent customer service skills about it. Sometime in mid to late 2020, the store was taken over by Arona. I dont know if this is the same company or if the corporate office just doesnt know that they have bad management in our local Cedar Rapids store, but the guy named JOEL that calls to check on payments is unbelievably rude, condescending, obnoxious and down right awful. We have never been treated so horribly over an 80 dollar payment. Mind you, we have already paid over $1000.00 for a kitchen table and some chairs. We only owe roughly $300 - $400 dollars now. He is totally NOT understanding at all. We told him that I am waiting on a settlement from my mothers passing, in order to pay because my husband is once again laid off until the 4th of January 2021. He didnt care. We spoke with him and assured him we would pay him and an extra month as soon as we got the check. But he continued to call my husband repeatedly and then my cell phone also, every other day for a week. Finally my husband answered again and said the same thing to him, were still waiting and it should be anyday now. He then threatened to "send his guys over to pick the table up today" leaving my kids without a table to eat at. My husband argued with this Joel guy explaining to him all I have said above and Joel didnt care at all. Clearly his life hasn't been effected by this pandemic and because his life is so perfect, he leaves no room for customers who have a hardship in life. I mean come on, we have already spent 1000 on this table n chairs, do ya really think were gonna just give it up and say "oh well, that was fun renting a table for a year, for 1000 dollars!" No way. I am soon to pay off this table and I can promise you, I will never go back there again. I have done rent to own my entire adult life because it suits my lifestyle and there are plenty of options in our area to go to, that actually train their employees to work with their precious customers so that they dont have to go on Google and every other platform to leave a negative review.

And to the corporate office for Arona, all I can say is shame on you! For allowing a man like that to be such a scrooge during Christmas time and representing your business. You desperately need to look into what is going on in the Cedar Rapids IA store. I'm obviously not the only one unhappy, there are alot of reviews on here...

The new policy of waiting a day or more for items is absolutely ridiculous. We made it clear from the beginning that it was my boy's birthday and we wanted to get the item today, but they waited until we were finished with the paperwork to inform us. What a waste of time!

The guy at the front desk seemed friendly and liked to talk, but he wasn't much help. The lady only appeared when the guy at the front was about to assist us.

They sell pre-owned items at new prices and only reduce the payment, not the final cost. So, if the pre-owned item comes with a roach inside, it's apparently okay because they factory reset the device. Make sure to thoroughly inspect the device inside and out, and if the promotional items from the company aren't in the box, you're missing out on the actual reason people buy new. It's unbelievable that they charge extra if you use a card and even more if you call in. And don't get me started on the bosses wife; she's terrible and rude. Oh, and be cautious because the boss gets angry if customers have issues with his wife. It's just sad that you have to contact the corporate office to deal with the lousy store in Cedar Rapids, and they admit they receive numerous complaints about that location. No wonder their Google review is only 3-something; it's obvious they have...

This place is a joke I was a week late due to me getting let go from my job my house payment was more important and I explained that to them and they keep sending people to my house to come get the furniture I told them over my camera I was working and my wife was at work and they said they don’t care they want there stuff back and pound on my door like they are gonna break it down and come on in and get the stuff they have no respect for no body or anything I even talked to the floor manager and told them that and they didn’t even care he goes I need u to come home from work and let us in to get this stuff or we are going to come in anyway bad move dude cause I’m going legal route now and getting my lawyer involved...