Marblehead Hardware — Local services in Marblehead

Carl the owner is the most unprofessional retailer I have ever come across. I ordered a barbecue on the Ace website on 5/1 for guaranteed 5/12 delivery. The date comes and I have not heard anything, so I call the store. Carl answers and seems he is totally confused and disoriented and it appears he has no idea about the order and later admits to selling the bbq that had been assigned to me. IMO Carl doesn’t check his online orders. He tells me his computer system says two more weeks from the warehouse, I tell him I don’t want the same thing to happen again and I’d rather know now if he’s not sure about the 2 weeks. He says it’s coming from the warehouse, the system says 2 weeks, so it will come in two weeks. Two weeks pass, Carl calls the day it’s supposed to be in to his store to say it is not here and he says it will be another 2 weeks. I post a one star review on here yesterday but take it down shortly thereafter. In reaction, Carl calls today and makes my partner feel very intimidated, telling her that he’s cancelling the order because of my 1 star review (which didn’t even exist at that point), as a threat for calling out his poor customer service. He makes her feel very uncomfortable and intimidated by his seemingly unstable approach with her for a review she clearly did not even write, so she passes the phone to me. I attempt to deescalate and calm Carl down as I feared for our safety based on how he was acting. I tell him I posted a one star review because I have now waited 4 weeks and am being told to wait another two weeks for something I should have received two weeks ago. I tell him I have now waited a month and just want my grill and to be told the truth, not more of what is now appearing like bait and switch rather than a more professional explanation that perhaps things at the warehouse are not in order. Shipping delays are part of the price we must all pay for Covid, however, when you miss two deadlines, you would expect a professional retailer to apologize, research and provide more solid information, and provide some form of amends for the customer who has relied on his (and his supplier’s) word.

But not Carl, for Carl, it’s all somebody else’s fault and HE’S the victim, he tells me, because it’s the warehouse, not him. He then lays into me again about a one star review that is not even online anymore since I removed it shortly after posting. Carl’s behavior qualifies as a step towards a 258E under Massachusetts law, I realize I am taking a potentially significant risk of future harassment based on Carl’s past behavior, however I want to protect other customers from this kind of behavior which very much felt abusive towards me and my partner.

Home Depot in Salem has plenty of similar grills in stock and the staff were all professional and courteous.

Carl, please do not contact me and please delete my information from...

Some, reoeat Some good staff, Many,as well as ownership, think its an investment,or club house. Not very interested in pleasing, or helping customers. After today's insult to Vets on Memorial day, handing out 3 inch flags, when the Ace/VFW promo stated a 12 × 5 incher free no purchase, and you are literally sitting on a pile of them, and you give your mini flag to a Ace oreferred card holder, who has shopped at your store for 20 years plus ?. OH How BIG of YOU, Mhead ACE !! . I dont want to say when I will be back ,or where I think you should put your mini flags, You...

What a fantastic change so good to have a couple new owners that really care about customer service and inventory they're carrying a lot of great barbecue items have little things that didn't stock before that being a contractor would always have to travel out of town to get so it's really convenient, love going in there everybody's great and highly recommend, if they don't have what you need they'll get it for you...