Houseworks — Local services in Iowa City

This review is currently in the process of being written and is in the draft state so please bear with me. I promise though in is very important in that I only ever speak up if there's something I absolutely believe in and proudly stand behind. I never thought it would come to this; a one star review at my favorite thrift store ever. But Sue is the lady who runs this place and she has become absolutely terrible to work with. his one starter hill after 20 years of shopping at her establishment.

I am writing this review in the very delicate position of being a long-term customer of this store from its old location to its new location for about the last 15 years since I moved to Iowa. I moved to this state as a transient and didn't have anything but my backpack and some books. I've received help from the crisis center, the food bank, dhs, shelter house, farmers market and naturally the local thrift stores.

During my 20 years in Iowa I built from scratch a life that had shown to support me well. I have a family now, I built up a few small businesses. Focused on the Arts and was successful working out of my home as a recognizably skilled Licensed Massage Therapist. I even turned mt hobby of thrifting into an income source by reselling vintage and antiques online to help support my life living in a home as a single mom. That's my skill. I can always find a way to make money doing anything as long as Im interested and excited about the product.

So, I really took a liking to Houseworks. The first time I went there, I found a $5 ceramic pumpkin jar that I sold at lightening speed online for $90. It was Tiffany and Co. I couldnt believe it.

I started to frequent this place monthly and sometimes weekly. I can't rave enough about quality and diversity in the items that are available here for sale. The prices are always surprising low and you end up walking away with a lot more than what you expected, especially if you have means to sell it and make profit too. I dont just like to sell, i also like to collect which can be a scary combination.

You can imagine what it must gave felt like when my massage business of 12 years was hit bad by covid and then out of the blue I started to feel pain and numbness in my arms, later to be diagnosed as a crazy onspurt of neuropathy pain from ...get this, carpal and cubital tunnel syndrome of both arms (called bilateral) from overuse during massages. I didn't even feel warnings of discomfort until the morning I began not beganamassage...

Went to this store with an open mind even after reading the poor reviews. It is exactly as poorly reviewed. A mask is a must(as is everywhere but NO mask NO entry period and she will tell you that), 20 minutes shopping time per person limits, signs all over the front window with rules and only 4 customers in the store at a time which could safely socially distance still with up to 15 ppl but her (Sue's) store her rules and she will make it very verbally and rudely clear you know she is the boss and what you are doing wrong with a very poor unprofessional and rough approach. She has 48" tall cart in front of the front door that is on wheels but a fire hazard as it prevents coming and going freely for an emergency with blocking the doorway-should honestly be reported to the fire department. It prevents people from coming and and going out so she can control the door way. The place is dirty and dingy, the items for sale dirty-kind of like the left overs from a bad garage sale and over priced. She had a kitchen aid machine for sale which was filthy and rusty mixer priced at $150 with no other attachments with it-it was nasty. A lot was nasty. A vinyl record was $4 there and $1.8 at Goodwill 1/2 mile away for the same vinyl. Same for other offerings as well price wise. She will hunt you down in the store and tell you your 20 minutes are up and you need to leave even if you have items in your hand-she did this to several customers. They put down the items and left. She told me my time was up and her friend had been in there log before I got in there and another couple and when I mentioned this she said no I was wrong and I needed to leave. I couldn't believe her! I left and will not be back, as 1/2 mile away is Goodwill, Stuff, Salvation Army and Crowded Closet all which are very clean, organized, friendly, reasonably priced, no limits to customers shopping, very friendly and welcoming customer service. Good luck to this store owner as it was a terrible experience and I honestly don't know how she stays in business-the place is a pit. If I could give this place big fat 0 I would and Sue needs to get some lessons on manners and customer service as well as tailoring...

I have been shopping at this store for over 20 years and would have no complaints. I browsed and often chatted with the people who were sorting and stocking. As a small business owner myself, I appreciated the cheerful friendly attitude of the workers. But... last year I went in for what would become my final visit. Due to advancing osteoarthritis of the hips I had been needing a walker and then a wheelchair. This day I was accompanied by my husband. I'm not usually paranoid but the previous couple visits I sensed a change in the way I was treated by staff. No more cheerful smiles or helpfulness. I felt mostly ignored so I just browsed quickly through my favorite sections, paid and left. Same kind feeling this day. Like I wasn't welcome. Then on the way out, I went ahead as my husband waited in line to pay for our purchases. When he caught up with me he told my how the lady at the desk asked him if I had put back the little plastic , taped up box of assorted jewelry I had been looking at. He told her that he had put it back for me since I had decided against it. After well over 20 years of sometimes frequent and sometimes not as frequent a visitor and spending what would add up to quite a bit of money over all, this was a crushing and humiliating experience for me. One of my first experiences with discrimination of elderly or disabled people. I am and have been a respected member of this community for most of my adult life and had not noticed how poorly the disabled are treated in many retail establishments (and for that I am truly sorry). To be watched and treated as though I'm not trustworthy was a new experience for me and at a time in my life when I feel as though I should have earned the respect of others, I am made to feel "less than". I will not return for more of that. My disease is...