I delayed writing this post in hopes that by the end of the weekend Angie would have sent me an…read moreemail or called with an apology, but that never happened, so I'm here to leave my review on our experience at her place of business.
I booked Flour Power to host my daughter's 11th birthday party with 15 children, and the entire experience was a major letdown. From the outset, communication was disorganized. The pricing listed online was misleading--what was advertised as a 16-guest package actually only covered 11 kids, with an extra $25 charge per additional child.
The venue was tiny and cramped, far from what you'd expect from a business specializing in children's parties. I was given minimal time to set up my own decorations, and the limited space made it feel chaotic from the start.
The cooking class was poorly planned and executed. Only four dough-making stations were available for 16 girls, forcing groups to sit and watch rather than participate. The activities were basic and boring, with little to no effort from staff to keep kids engaged.
After the dough session, half the girls lost interest while waiting. Next was sauce-making and garlic bread, which was just spreading butter and Kroger parmesan on a store bought French loaf--another "group activity." The girls then sat bored for about 20 minutes while the sauce simmered. I asked Angie multiple times to play music to liven up the atmosphere, but the music was barely audible and she never fully fulfilled my request.
A staff member's rude attitude stood out. Several mothers privately told me about her eye-rolling, glaring, and bossy tone toward the girls. Even some older girls commented on her unkindness. I considered addressing it during the event but wanted to avoid interrupting or causing anymore negativity.
When it was time to check out, I asked Angie if she could show me my remaining balance. She opened her laptop and quickly clicked through a few screens. Before I could say anything, she landed on a page where she told me I could leave a tip. At that moment, I hadn't yet discussed my overall experience or shared feedback from myself and other mothers and athletes. This feedback was important hoping she would consider it to improve future parties
I was caught off guard because nothing in the email confirmation mentioned gratuity, the party itself was already $700 and the way she pushed the tip in my face struck me as both unprofessional and tacky. Given our concerns about the evening and how forcefully she insisted on a tip, I told her we wouldn't be leaving one at this time. That's when things took a turn for the worse.
She gave me a disgusted glare and said, "Are you serious? You're not going to tip us? Who does that? Don't you think we deserve a tip?" As a luxury business owner myself, I couldn't believe how she handled the situation--especially in front of my 11-year-old daughter and her friend. I was left speechless. Then, she slammed her laptop shut and said, "I'll just take it out of my own pocket!"
I requested a private conversation away from children and staff to voice my concerns, all of which fell on deaf ears. Angie then continued to openly berated me in front of my daughter and staff as I made my way back to the front, questioning why I wouldn't tip even after insulting me multiple times during our private conversation. When I mentioned I'd leave an honest review based on her unprofessional & erratic behavior, she threatened to leave one about my business despite having no prior knowledge of me or my business. My daughter and her friend both left visually upset by the interaction & were even brought to tears on our way home.
Overall, the event was overpromised and underdelivered. The space was cramped, outdated, the activities poorly managed, staff were rude, and Angie handled the situation unprofessionally. I would not recommend Flour Power for children's parties.
EDIT: Added message in response to Angie.
Angie-
Your response contains several inaccuracies. The girls were engaged with each other, not the cooking class. During an attempt to address my concerns with you privately, you raised your voice and berated me for not wanting to leave you a tip based on our experience. Your behavior that evening included unprofessional remarks directed at me in front of your staff, my daughter, and guests. While I have documented the full series of events on my phone, the focus here is on the factual recounting of what occurred. To state that tips are appreciated but not expected is simply untrue. Given how the situation was handled, I'm sure you must feel embarrassed. However, responding to my honest review with denial and misrepresentation is not the professional way to address these concerns. I trust you will consider this feedback seriously. The best path forward is to acknowledge and address issues professionally rather than denying or misrepresenting how the event unfolded.