I love going to mom and pop coffee shops. Quality and service is everything in a small business so I'm always looking to support local businesses when I can. So it really saddens me when I write a bad review.
I've been to Hometown Grounds several times since they've opened and was incredibly excited to have a coffee shop close to home that wasn't a chain. Each time I stopped by, I was hoping to have a better experience than the last. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case. I will say that I love the type of coffee shop atmosphere they have curated there. They do events, and allow artisans to sell their goods in their store. However, the service I've experienced each time, outweighs those things for me.
I've encountered a different employee on each occasion I've gone, and not once have they been friendly, or even smiled while taking an order. It actually made my husband and I uncomfortable at one point because when we tried talking to them, thinking maybe they were having a bad day, they still continued to act like they didn't want to be there. When you're in acustomer service position, you want to be the friendly face your customer sees. It will continue bringing people back.
Of the several times I've been, most of the times they've gotten my order incorrect. I don't normally order anything complicated. I usually choose a seasonal drink, with oat milk. Yes, incorrect orders can happen anywhere, but when it's almost everytime, it can get a little frustrating to have to be the person who "sends the drink back". No one likes those people.
I also encountered trying to order a drink written on their seasonal menu outside the shop, only for the barista to tell me they don't make that drink. At first I thought maybe I may have described it incorrectly or she was getting a drink confused with another. But I realized, even after I explained the name and description of the syrups in the drink listed on the board, the issue seemed to be she didn't know what was written on the menu outside.
I also experienced an issue trying to purchase a product from their artisan section that had a price sticker on it (a coffee themed craft), only for the employee to tell me it wasn't for sale and that the sticker shouldn't have been placed on there. Yet, a couple of weeks prior when I was there having coffee with my husband, there were several of the same craft item for sale. This was the only one left when I tried to purchase it, so where did all the others go if they weren't for sale? I was genuinely confused. The issue however, wasn't that she said the item wasn't for sale, but it was the way that she handled the situation. If it truly was a mistake, she never tried to apologize for the confusion. She acted as if I had bothered her for wanting to buy something that had a price on it.
In addition, the prices for their coffee and drinks are very high. They charge a flat rate for something like a latte, and then charge extra for every pump of syrup they add. Even the speciality flavored ones they create for their seasonal menus. As a previous small business owner, I understand that everything has gone up in price and it's important to make a profit to stay in business. It's a delicate balance. I also recognize it's a small town. But I frequent small coffee shops often, and the other shop's prices seem to be much lower. I recognize that is their choice as a small business, but I don't believe their prices reflect the quality of the drinks or the service. I am willing to pay more for things like organic coffee, or "in house" made syrups, or even amazing customer service. But that's the not case here.
My hope is that they make some changes, including with the customer service that their employees are providing, so I can continue to support a small town...
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