The Shops at Carolina Furniture of Williamsburg — Local services in Williamsburg

I cannot remember a time I’ve taken to google or any review site to leave a negative review as I firmly believe businesses should be given the opportunity to understand when there is a problem and be provided the opportunity to fix it. If that is unsuccessful, I will typically try to reach out to someone within the organization who is in management position. With that being said, it’s important I inform those reading reviews about this business and provide my personal experience here. First and foremost the President of The Shops at Carolina, Joseph Steele, needs improvement in his customer service. From the first phone call I made to this establishment to notify them of my problems with my new kitchen table, I happened to get the Joseph on the line. I did not know I was speaking to a manager mainly because his attitude and customer service was not what I would have expected coming from a person of leadership. I proceeded to expressed my concerns about the $4,000 kitchen table I purchased from them, explaining that the first day we used our table and had a family dinner we ate spaghetti. A few drops of spaghetti sauce got on the table (it is a kitchen table after all). I didn’t think twice about this as when we were finished eating (approximately 15 minutes after spaghetti sauce drops) our table was cleared and wiped up. To my absolute surprise, the spaghetti sauce was not coming off. I was shocked. I tried again, this time with a gentle soap and water. Nothing. I explain this to him and he stated that he would have to call the manufacturer to ask then about this. He offered no solution or even apology that this was happening. He didn’t ask for my email, he didn’t ask for my phone number. I asked him if he would like to have my information, he quickly said “no I have it.” I am assuming based on the number I was calling from? I assumed I was speaking to a sales associate and perhaps they were having a bad day, never would I have thought this was the owner or president of the business on the other end. Several days later and no phone call or email, I reached back out. Joseph picked up again. I explained that I had not received a follow up and asked for a status. He impatiently stated he had just sent them an email a few days ago and said as soon as he hears back he will reach out. A few days later, finally an email. To my surprise the company who they sourced the table from responded to him and stated that spaghetti is acidic and therefore it can stain if left on too long. Of course it can, I completely get that. Except it wasn’t left on for hours. We were eating dinner and cleaned off our table as soon as we were finished. I responded to his email and asked him if he explained to the manufacture what I told him, that the sauce was there for 15 minutes before wiping off. He responded and said he was sorry I was upset but that they do not guarantee a furniture piece will not stain and essentially there was nothing that he could do. $4,000 for a table and that is the response? I have had 4 custom tables over the last 25 years and none of them stained from sauce or food, ever. We have a brand new kitchen table that is an eye sore, with stains on it. Under no circumstances would I ever purchase from this business again. Ever. Terrible business practices, even worse terrible customer service and absolutely terrible products. Do yourself a favor and find another business who will stand behind...

Poor Customer Service I purchased 100 square feet of Hancock and Moore Leather at $1800.00 for an Office Chair. The Upholsterer needed 74 square feet and said to get an additional 30% for imperfections. On Monday July 14 the Upholsterer texted me “We will need another hide to complete your chair. These hides have several large flaws that we cannot cut around.” He also sent me 10 pictures showing the large flaws. I went to The Shops at Carolina Furniture of Williamsburg and spoke with the President Joseph Steele III. He provided his e-mail address and said to send the pictures so he could submit them to Hancock and Moore. Before I sent the pictures I spoke with the Upholsterer and he stated with an additional half hide (25 square feet) he could complete the chair. I e-mailed Joseph Steele III the pictures and relayed only a half hide was needed. On Tuesday, July 15, 2025 I received e-mail from Joseph Steele III stating he would submit the photos to Hancock and Moore and that I was requesting another half hide. He also stated ” I can tell you from 20 years of ordering their leathers on furniture for the store, that many of these dark spots, "healed scars", would in fact be deemed acceptable and used on their furniture”. This was a lie. If manufacturers like Hancock and Moore produced Leather Furniture with dark spots and healed scars individuals like Joseph Steele III would not be able to sell their products. It was also a signal that Joseph Steele III would not hold Hancock and Moore accountable for their poor-quality issue. On Thursday July 17, 2025 I received e-mail from Joseph Steele III stating “Hancock and Moore is willing to sell you more leather, but they do not feel that the hides you have are defective”. Further they advised if I needed a half hide to purchase an entire hide. So, a $900.00 hide only has 50% of useable leather? Really? I was assured that this was adequate for my need of seventy-four useable square feet of leather at the time of purchase. In fact Joseph Steele III 's representative said that I needed to order two hides (100 square feet) inorder to have 74 square feet of useable leather. I would not have placed the order kowing only 50% of this leather hide provides useable leather. Joseph Steele III has zero concern for customers who have purchased products from him some at large sums of money and have poor quality issues. He does not hold the vendors accountable and gives them total authority as to how they want to handle the...

On May 12, 2022, we purchased a special-order Durham bedroom set from Elenie of Carolina Furniture of Williamsburg for $7,872.77. We paid an extra $50.00 for the delivery and set up of the furniture. This was approximately 6 months ago. The furniture was delivered on 10/17/22. During the delivery, their delivery person gouged our hallway wall. In addition, we noticed that several of the drawer knobs that were installed crooked. We called and emailed our salesperson Elenie to inform her of the damaged wall and crooked knobs. She told us to just straighten the knob ourselves. We had considered it, but the knobs are in two pieces and have small cleats that keep them from turning. So, any attempt to straighten them would leave an exposed mark on the drawer front. Since the salesperson was not aware of the installation process of the knobs, we requested a professional furniture person to fix this problem. The repair people had no knowledge on how to cover the holes. So, we purchased and replaced all 25 knobs that cost us $90.00. Carolina Furniture would not reimburse us. Their repair people switched out our new brush nickel knobs. My opinion. Carolina Furniture of Williamsburg doesn’t stand behind their product. Nor do they have an interest in their customers’ satisfaction.

We bought less expensive furniture from Ashley furniture and received better customer service immediately after the delivery of our furniture. We never received a phone call from Carolina furniture from Williamsburg until we complained. I would not recommend buying furniture from Carolina furniture of...