Union — Local services in Los Angeles

If you want customer service, shop at Nordstrom. Union serves a niche market, like a record shop or comic book store, and isn't for the casual customer looking for a comfortable pair of sneakers. You have to remember that on a daily basis casual browsers criticize and complain -- "$500 for a shirt!? What a rip-off!" (I used to work at a specialty boutique myself, and you can find similar reviews on Yelp! bemoaning our "hipster" staff.) If you had a bad experience at Union, you were likely being a jack-ass. You wouldn't visit a person's home for the first time and immediately start criticizing their furniture. The staff is passionate about design, they work there because they're into it, and often they are active or are pursuing a career in the industry.

If you don't like this stuff, fine, but Union is not "retail" per se, it's an entirely different model. Staff tends to give you some space; their clientele doesn't want you to open a dressing room the moment you pick up a coat, and they tend to know the designers Union carries and know what they're looking for. Streetwear is community and regulars interact with staff more as peers than as salespeople; I'd find it alienating if they approached me as a traditional salesperson would. When I do have questions or need help, Union has been terrific, they've spent a long time with me on the phone to let me know when and whether a specific $34 t-shirt would arrive in-store. It wasn't a big sale, but they get it, so they were willing to spend the time helping me out, telling me when shipments arrive, providing details about the company in question (Paradise). I have a number of similar examples. The designers they carry have followings and people for whom style is personal are willing to pay a premium for, say Visvim, which they'd have had to travel to Japan to find before Union began carrying it.

If you think that's silly, you don't have to shop there! And id youu're interested in checking Union out and you don't really get the role streetwear thing, don't make a fuss about the price tag of certain garments -- its judgmental and consecding to do so -- apply a little ettiqute and be respectful to the staff, and they will likely be...

Let me first disclaim this review. I am not in the shoe game.

I've been coming here for years with friends, rarely do I buy something and it's mainly because of the price, but I'll give them the nod that what I did buy was of high quality materials and craftsmanship. In some cases you get what you pay for.

Frankly the clothing is so eclectic and random it's hard to get a sense for their buyers. Accessories, be they handmade or not are trinkets. Etsy-esque for men. Like I hear the kids singing to that Macklemore song paying $50 for a t-shirt is ignorant.

I love the wooden enclave counter area and the lighting, the design is pretty hip and cool for being around for so long and at the top of the game.

Service is a little showy, a lot of posturing and it boils down to being slightly rude. I think I put off this vibe that I'm not about that life so when simply purchasing, browsing and seeking help I haven't gotten the service some of my other friends get who come in and either drop real loot or where the staff seems to be on their jock.

I think at some point in the life of every male under 40 they have known someone who was/is or they themselves were/are in the shoe game. To all of you who have paid a ridiculous amount of money for shoes you'll never wear, waited in line hours or days and don't even play basketball. You have all been lied to. Milk fed dreams of style and glory through shoes. Shoes are meant to be worn, to be used, not stocked or stored so paying that much for something that doesn't at least take me out to dinner or do my taxes is ridiculous.

It's a specialty fashion, novelty boutique catering to a bit of a young mans lifestyle. I'm a fan when I'm a fan of an item, but overall I it's a head...

This review pertains to my online experience and may not reflect the experience in their brick and mortar store.

I was fortunate enough to check out a pair of the Union Jordan’s in a size 10. I’m a natural size 9.5, but was able to cart the size 10, which was ok by me. After weeks of waiting for shipping to Toronto (which I don’t necessarily fault them for, as I get they had a ton of orders to fulfill) I was sent a size 10.5 instead, to my dismay.

Sent an email asking for some acknowledgement of the error and a reasonable form of compensation and their response? They offered for me to take the time to pack up the shoes, and send them back for a refund! This to me, is an insulting ‘fake apology’ and not really taking ownership of their mistake (knowing the context of how difficult these shoes were to get and the limited stock). I replied with, what I think is a reasonable and diplomatic email, and they have yet to respond to me after almost a week.

Maybe I’ve been spoiled with great customer service from other comparable streetwear boutiques (Concepts NYC and Capsule Toronto are both superb), but this is not how you are supposed to address a mistake made to a customer, in any type of business.

Not sure how much of a difference this review makes, but hope it at least is a wake up call to Union to re-evaluate how they treat their customers...