Arts Africains — Local services in Emeryville

I’m posting this on behalf of my aunt

If I could give no star I would. The service at this store is subpar. I believe everyone should know about the way they treat their customers.

I went to this store in early December to buy something for my goddaughter’s birthday. She orders their strawberry shea butter all the time but it always come busted through the mail. My goddaughter would have to transfer it into a different container as the original was so flimsy. So I decided to go in person to purchase her some items.

It says it opened at 11 am, when I arrived 11 am and the shop was dark. They didn’t open until 11:20 am. I understand people are busy during the holiday season, but they had no explanation.

When I went there, I purchased two shea butters, two necklaces, braid ornaments, and two pair earrings the total was $200 (this is important later). The woman at the cashier register was nice and I explained to her about the inadequate shipping and she was very apologetic. She asked a couple questions and promised they would try to fix the mailing issue. If the review stopped here, they would have received a higher review.

Unfortunately, the woman who was ringing me up ended forgetting to pack one pair of my earrings. No harm no foul, so I called the store and arranged to pick them up another day. During the phone call they said I, had forgotten my earrings! While it was a bit annoying, I still needed to get my earrings that I paid for.

So I returned to the store and decided to pick up some more items (two African ornaments). When I got to store I was helped by a different woman. We were making small talk and I pointed out the mishap with the shea butter busting in the mail again and she seemed very annoyed with me.

The woman told me that “these things happen,” and I explained that it happened every time my goddaughter ordered. While I wasn’t expecting anything to happen, I felt that she didn’t care at all, contrasting with the previous woman who helped me.

She got out my earrings and I noticed they had another one of the necklaces that I had bought earlier (see photo).

I picked it up, deciding to add it to the order when the woman told me that it was “$150”.

Now dear reader, if you remember my total from the previous day was $200! It would be impossible for the necklace to be priced at that amount.

I told the woman I was no longer interested in the necklace and she said then said she would give me a deal. I firmly told her no, purchased my items and left. After everything that happened, I felt taken advantaged of and upset, I will no longer be going back there.

I write this review to let everyone know while the store has a wonderful collection, they don’t care about customers and prices depend on the person.

Edit (1/15): there is a TikTok going around about this store attempting to upcharge another woman for waist beads through her...

ARTS AFRICAINS HAS A BRAND NEW LOCATION... in the Powell Street Emeryville Plaza at 5755 Christie Avenue, Emeryville. It opened at this new location on May 1, 2024. It is located in the easy-to-park, free parking shopping plaza with Trader Joe's, Marshall's, Ross, BMO, Chase and Wells Fargo Banks, Banana Repubic, Nothing Bundt Cakes Bakery, Togo's, Burger King, etc. This beautiful and colorful new store is among the largest African retail stores in Northern California and it continues to offer various fragrances of their famous sought after collection of Shea Butter, African Fabrics and African Mudcloth, African Women, Men and Children Clothing, Dashikis, African Arts and Paintings, African Giraffe Wooden Carvings, African Waistbeads, Necklaces, Earrings, African Bags, Purses, African Drums and many other authentic African items shipped directly from countries around the Continent of Africa. Plan to visit the store's new gallery soon... Experience Africa in...

This is the first review I've ever made for a company, and couldn't help but to. You can easily get lost in the beauty and decor while browsing. Everywhere and every item you look at is absolutely beautiful. The staff were very warm, kind, and welcoming. I came looking for earrings and ended up buying a few more products including an African pillowcase which was my first African decor purchase(many more to come) as well as a few Shea butter products to gift to some friends as well as for myself( Tangerine, mango, and strawberry. One of the shea butters, the mango one, which smell amazing like Starburst, almost mouthwatering I put some in my hair and skin. And left my hair and skin feeling moisturized and smelling good. One can't help but smile when putting on the Shea butter, it smells that good. I felt at home at Arts African and the staff made my night. I definitely...