Five Below — Local services in Oak Brook

Five Below; an interesting experience, to say the least.

First and foremost, incredibly smart branding techniques employed at every turn.

As depicted in the attached photos, lots of bold signage, colorful print emphatically stating the seemingly low prices of larger items such as volleyballs or water bottles (seemed to be not the most well-insulated; I noticed several that were poorly crafted for any sort of wear and tear).

However, just because something has a smaller price tag does not mean it is smart to purchase. Quality must come into play for the wise shopper at all times; and while affordability is of the utmost importance, purchasing an item for $5 that's going to fall apart in 3 days is simply a waste of $5.

For example, almost every umbrella I pulled off of the shelf was broken. Most clothing items (besides a few hats and bottoms that were actually $10; should've been in the "$5 and Beyond section) were poorly stitched, thinly woven fabric, not true-to-size items that'd almost indefinitely fall apart after initial use. There were a plethora of items priced just under $5 ($4.50 for a pack of 12 stickers, etc) that I could've easily found equivalents for elsewhere (at a fair price).

To prove this point, I went to the local dollar store afterwards (more to come on this exploratory adventure, possibly; stay tuned) and successfully found quality items for half the price. I am of the mind the truly wise shopper would choose a dollar store over 5 Below anyday. Truly; I was able to find quality potpourri and reed diffusers (such a lovely addition to any space) crafting essentials, cozy,well-made t-shirts, a pack of 120 stickers (incredibly cute; moreso than the 5 Below selection) and a few lovely wide neck glasses in under 30 minutes (for under $30).

I couldn't even peruse the "$5 and beyond" section at $5 Below. It would've broken the bank for me; I never enter a site without a predetermined budget for the excursion.

Incense holders with little to no design, crafted out of skimmed ply or some sort of synthetic wood, tiny ones; ranged from $6-$10. Plastic baskets and simple homewares, up to $15.

So maybe, I could've afforded 2 baskets?

I would've been more than content with a functional umbrella at a fair price.

Additionally, service was lacking. All attendants seemed to be too preoccupied to answer questions in full sentences although the store was empty.

I needed a bit of assistance when paying as well as I was using cash, and the machine did not work (checkout was an odd mixture of attendant-moderated scanning, but independent pay). The attendant that had been previously assisting me seemed to be highly inconvenienced by this.

There was also a point in which I was accused of not paying for a keychain (depicted in the attached media); this was immediately rectified once a senior attendant came over. However, the damage was done; this portion of the experience dinged overall rating of the site for me. I spent more time sorting through this confusing conundrum of a payment process with 2 attendants than I did perusing the entire store.

As I made my way towards the exit, I felt a bit relieved at the prospect of finally getting out of this chaotic setting.

Five Below; just not...

Went in to grab a couple shirts and was meet with a rude employee (Cici) who refused to wait 5 minutes so I could pick a couple shirts. Another employee tried to help the situation but she gave her coworker attitude as well. Also telling your coworker that your going to purposely take longer so a customer can't look at the shirts is disgusting. I hope that woman is fired, I feel bad for her coworkers that have to deal with her ignorance and disrespect towards customers. I appreciate the other employee apologizing for her coworkers rude comments but it's not her job to apologize for another grown women's actions. Giving 2 stars because my family was a regular at this location but I will be now looking for a new location unless that woman is fired. (From the employees reactions, I can tell they deal with her attitude on a daily basis)...

Good store for buying decent quality stuff. Most of the goods here are for kids or teenagers and a few items for adults. There are a few things which are more than $5 which is like the dollar stores which advertise everything below $1 but have several products more than that. There is a nice variety of stuff from toys, posters,...