Pleasant Surprise — Local services in Providence

If you're looking for a store to buy a bunch of local items this is the perfect store. This is the main reason I was heading to this store to buy some local gifts for family out of state. However, the employees at this specific store are horrible. On June 23rd, 2016 the first night I went in there I had called ahead to make sure what time they were closing at, the woman responded 9pm. Rushing from out of work I quickly went to the store by 8:35pm and immediately was told they were closing soon but wasn't politely welcomed to the store at all. I grabbed a bunch of items within 5 minutes but was being watched like a hawk the entire time until the same worker came up to me and told me yet again that they would be closing in 5 minutes. I responded, isn't it 8:40 (as I wanted to continue to look around for a few more minutes), she responded our registers need to close so we're closing in five minutes. I dropped all of my belongings and left the store because the irritation was unreal as to why people were being rushed out of the store 20 minutes before they closed, many people were entering the store and were also being told they were closing now and they had to leave, once again 20 minutes before 9pm.

On the second day, June 24th, 2016 not having time to go to the the much more 'pleasant' surprise in Newport I unfortunately had to return to the Providence location. I went well before 9pm this time hoping there wouldn't be an issue again. I took my time and picked out $200 worth of items for my family out of state. I had asked (a different employee) if there were any gift bags, she pointed me in the direction but they were only selling wine bags- not gift bags. The employee ran up all my belongings and shoved them into one paper bag (noted I had $200 worth of clothes and breakables). I asked her if I could have two more bags so my belongings wouldn't get crushed and could be spread out and she starred at me and didn't answer. So I had asked her again and told her to just hand them to me and I would but the items in the two other bags so they would not be squished or break. She then responded with an attitude, that she was unable to give me more than two brown paper 25c bags. I responded to her I have $200 worth of items that you just jammed into one bag and you are unable to give me another bag? She replied, yep. If these items weren't for family who was coming in that evening I would have put every single item back. I will never return to this store because of its lack of respect for customers. Their employees need to understand they work retail and this is their job not to chat behind the desk the whole time refuse to give me a 25c brown paper bag and push me out of the store WELL before it was closing. They are rude, stuck up and inconsiderate employees and because of them I will never...

I was shopping around the other day and i over heard one of the employees complaining about working a ten hour shift with no break. you guys are disgusting and however your legally getting around not giving your employees breaks is irrelevant. It is taking advantage of people working for minimum wage so you can make money off of them. I come in often and always see the same 2 people(separately), its also very strange that there is only ever one worker there and usually they are at a display or boxes not behind the counter, i waited 10 minutes to check out because the employee couldn’t see me. I have also gone in the morning and afternoon on the same day before, hours apart, and the same person was still at the store putting away boxes. No other business on thayer treats their employees like this as far as what ive seen and frankly it disgusts and enrages me that you can charge that much for stuff you can buy on amazon and you somehow dont have enough money to properly staff your store. I will no longer be shopping here or at any of its...

Employees are just rude. Do not greet customers and watch you like a hawk. Literally picked up a sticker from the counter with the intent to buy it when I was done shopping. Proceeded to check out the other side of the store when the cashier asked “all set for checkout?” I found this kinda rude .. do you think I would really steal a $4 sticker? A sticker I could probably find on Amazon for cheaper? In the end I put the sticker back and left. First and last time I’ll step foot...