ONE
I had a small 1940s-1950s mechanical desk clock repaired…read moreby this shop. The estimate was $80. I was called just before Christmas and told it was ready. I was away over the holiday and back mid January. I did not go in and got a call late January by the woman who works at this shop. She got angry right away, insulting me and yelling on the phone that I was using them, that I had no right to do business this way, etc. This made me afraid what she might do in person. I finally went in early February to pick up the clock. The woman then was another person... fawning and smiling, apologetic about her previous outburst, and so on. Of course no one would trust this jekyel-hyde like behaviour. This person should not be working with customers. Her emotional management is that of a child and she needs help. To take out one's personal problems on customers and strangers is just sheer narcissism. I sympathize as a human being, but not as a client. From other reviews, it seems to be a pattern. Secondly she charged me $120. I was not informed of this change before coming to pick up the clock. This is a 50% hike in what I expected to pay. I was not provided with any itemized list of time or expenses. Like another reviewer said, I just picked up the clock and got out of there, not wanting to deal with this woman any more.
It is my impression that the older man--who is the bona fide clock-maker and knowledgeable and experienced in this shop--is excellent at what he does, as is his assistant, Fernando. But he is in the control of a mentally troubled manager in his daughter, who acts as "business manager," and is deeply disturbing to deal with and has a paranoia of being ripped off, who over-charges in what ever way she can get away with...
TWO
We had a 1850s carriage clock repaired by this shop. It is a family heirloom of my partner's, made in France, and used by the family of Florence Nightingale. It came from my partner's grandmother. This clock had not been maintained, and though it ran, it did not keep time and did not ring. So I remembered the excellent older man who is the chief clock-maker in this shop, and told my partner that the clock would be safe with him. My partner brought the clock in for an estimate on cleaning and repair to make it fully functional. When he took the clock out, there was much ooohing and aaahing. This is a clock that is, it turns out, quite common, in fact, and only 8" high by 5" wide. For this estimate we were charged $250. I get it: the clock has to be dismantled and checked for problems. It was worrying though. Fernando, the partner of the older Hungarian owner, was put in charge of the project. When the estimate came, it was $1200 to completely re-furbish this old gem of a clock. My partner gave this a thorough think, and decided to spend the money, because the clock was an heirloom and he was keeping it for his family and because he had fond memories of it from childhood. Two years later, the clock does not run properly. It has always run fast. And stops mid-week. To get it going once it's stopped requires us (once winding it) to shake it and let it run dead about 12 times. After this it begins and keeps going for a week. We are hesitant to go back to the shop to have it looked at for fear of being charged another several-hundred dollar charge just to look at it. To argue against any further charge might bring on the hell-hounds, and a yelling and demeaning freak-out by the woman "manager."
