BeautyCorner — Local services in San Gabriel

So I had a good experience here (as did my friends) and I get the feeling that some of the commenters that didn’t have a good experience might be the type of people that are really used to corporate establishments, where employees are forced to be patient with customers. I can’t speak to every bad experience posted but this is clearly a small business and I don’t think everyone understands that this is NOT the type of store you come into to leisurely browse - they can help you find something if you know the product you want or know the type of skincare/makeup/etc. you like but like any small shop in a busy area, taking up their time and not buying anything is considered poor form. If I had to give an analogy, it’s like going to a restaurant, taking up a table and a server’s time, then ultimately deciding to eat somewhere else - you can leave politely but it would be understandable why the staff would be kind of annoyed. The unspoken expectation is that you at least have some idea of what you want, and you wouldn’t be there otherwise.

I think it’s perfectly reasonable that not everyone knows this but this is a small business and it’s unreasonable to expect it to operate like a major global retailer. If you want a large store with lots of staff, CVS, Ulta, and Sephora aren’t far away. I can understand some confusion about the appointment system but the concept is neither unreasonable nor hard to understand: luxury outlets (eg. Coach, Hermes, etc.) employ the same system when the store gets to capacity. They neither have the amount of staff to handle that many clients nor is there enough space for people to move around without risking merchandise accidentally being knocked over. As soon as some people leave, more people can come in. The thing I will say is that it probably could be communicated more clearly, like there being some signage about a waitlist during busier periods (ie. continuing with the analogy: if you’ve eaten at restaurants, you likely understand how a waitlist works); if there was signage, I didn’t see it posted but thankfully, it wasn’t super busy when we went.

The staff there was very polite and swatched lip products for my friend. They were quick to recommend things but were never pushy. They have popular products at really good prices. If you are bored, trying to kill time, and/or want to walk around after your meal, go to Sephora and do not bother Auntie here if the store looks busy. They are efficient so if you have an idea of what you want, they will take you through their inventory and get you in and out quickly. Not to put too fine a point on it but this feels like NYC vs....

I’m not sure how many people will see this review, but I sincerely hope that if you do, please don’t go to this store. I live nearby, so I’ve often gone to the St. Gabriel location to pick up snacks or daily necessities. To be fair, most of the staff there have pretty good attitudes, and overall the service has been OK. I’ve been a loyal customer and have spent quite a bit of money there.

But today I encountered a woman who claimed to be the “boss’s wife,” a very skinny, petite lady, and her behavior completely shocked me. At checkout, she asked if I wanted to pay cash or card. I said cash. In the past, they would always automatically give a 5% discount for paying in cash, which is normal. I run a business myself, and I know that generally you can’t give discounts on card payments, but it’s very common to give a small discount for cash. That has nothing to do with whether you’ve added their WeChat.

Yet today this so-called “boss’s wife” insisted that I show proof that I had added their WeChat before giving me the discount. I honestly felt like she was just deliberately making things difficult for me. Maybe she was in a bad mood — everyone has off days and I get that — but her behavior today was way over the top.

When I asked her why she needed that proof, her attitude immediately got worse. I even mentioned casually that accepting cash is actually good for them, and she started yelling, accusing me of saying they were evading taxes — which was basically her admitting it herself, because I never said that. I then asked her if she was making too much money since she was treating customers this way, and unbelievably, she said, “Yes, I make enough money.” Then she kicked me out.

I told her at least give me a refund, but she kept shouting and even said in front of other customers that I wasn’t welcome anymore. The most shocking part was after she opened the door for me to leave, she actually followed me outside, yelling at me in the street and even kicking a cardboard box on the ground like she was completely out of control. It was extremely embarrassing.

As a long-time customer, this kind of treatment was beyond disappointing. Now I finally understand why their Yelp reviews are so bad. Do yourself a favor and stay away from this place — don’t waste your time...

I am so incredibly pleased with the customer service I received. I initially googled “K beauty stores near me” in google maps and Beauty Corner popped up. I saw the reviews and despite seeing many negative ones I decided to give them a call to see if they carried the sunscreen I was searching for. They picked up after a few rings and told me they do have the product. I then asked if I could just walk into the store or if I needed to make an appointment. I was asked how many people would be in my party and I said just me party of one and that I could be there within 15 minutes. I was told that I could walk in and that they would be waiting for me. When I got there I noticed the store’s front door has a gated door that remains locked. I told the person walking to the front door I had just called about the sunscreen and she very kindly smiled at me, open the door, kindly handed me a basket and showed me where the sunscreen was. She was pulled away to the front register but another associate came by and answered my questions and even recommended other products. I walked around the store and noticed other products like Anessa sunscreen that they had priced for $29, whereas another store I had gone to had it for $40! All in all I will definitely be coming back here for all my sunscreen and beauty needs. Give...