Smokey Shay's WS — Local services in Winston-Salem

First and last time I will step foot in smokey shays. The experience in the shop went well and with the rating the store has I wouldn't expect any less. I enjoyed their selection and settled on this grindhouse crank grinder, it was $40 and for a price like that I expected a sturdy piece. Fast forward 3 days and the crank broke off completely. Now I've owned several crank grinders so I know it definitely wasn't through any fault of my own. I decided to give them a call to see what they could do about it since I basically bought a defective grinder only 3 days before. They stated that they could not return or exchange which I understand due to the nature of the product, but since I had such a pleasant experience I expected some kind of solution. I should have read the reviews by various others with a similar experience. Heads up to any that shop with this store, if it seems like it might break you're better off dealing with the manufacturer so you can at least get some proper help when you get sold something defective.

EDIT: thank you to the owner for the swift response, although it didn't seem like it was to help but moreso to pit blame away as I have noticed happens often when a bad review is given. I was never given the option to email but the way I was responded to it seems like that offer is off the table. I am new to the store so I am not aware of the proper channels to go through in order to be properly attended. Again appreciate the swift reply I have amended the review to reflect your...

So, this is a great shop with great selection and customer service. I wish to emphasize that the employees are friendly and helpful. However, my rating is one star. That is because sometimes their credit card terminals freeze or something. This happened to me and as a result my card was charged. Since the terminal froze the transaction did not appear in the store's posted transactions. My bank couldn't issue any stop payment or charge back, saying I had to settle this with the merchant. And Smokey Shay's wouldn't refund my money or provide me with the merchandise I paid for. I was directed to an email to try to speak with someone who would authorize the refund. They told me I had to get he bank to do it. So here we are a week later. I haven't heard anything from smokey shays. I won't be returning and I suggest that anyone shopping there be aware that if anything goes wrong with this buisness' equipment that results in a loss for the customer, they will not work to reconcile this loss. And I just cannot out of principle give any company my business if they aren't willing to seek restitution for an error by their equipment. Update: I removed my previous update. I am not interested in argument. This attitude that it's my problem because I don't have an "actual bank card" is precisely my point. Their machine created the problem and they aren't taking responsibility for it. With this kind of policy in place I can't out of principle show there and I believe it's worth...

Ok so I call the store previously to check on a product, and see the pricing. The employee on the phone tells me that a Firefly 2 I was pricing was under 250. I said awesome bc that is the same price I was going to pay for it online, so I would just come in person to pick it up instead of waiting on shipping. That was not the case when I got into the store, the price was 330. I was disappointed about the price difference, but even worse on top of that the kid I talked to said he overheard the conversation on the phone, and knew the actual price. Instead of calling me back to inform me properly he decided to leave it to me to find out, even after I told them that I would come into the store for that price. Honestly stores like these will rip you off anyway bc they will just get their items online/manufacturer for a discount price, and sell to you for full price. I'm not going to go back to this store again, and I will never recommend anyone to go either. I told them about the lower price online, and the kid wants to give me some BS excuse about other sites not selling through the manufacturer, and that it is going to be made in china. The actual Firefly company does not make their own products in the us nor does most other companies. If you just do some research, and buy it online you can get it much cheaper same warranties, same exact product. Just cutting out the middle men, being this store, and the manufacturer...