(Mel) Leathers Saga

After putting up for years with the bad fit of some TigerAngel Custom-made
pants, the better-half, a friend and I decided to finally do something about
it and get the stuff across to Alex @ Clothes Mending Experts in
Elsternwick.
Another friend had some work done there previously which had taken way
longer than initially indicated, but turned out ok in the end.

Called, made appt. for a Sat. morning at 10 for 3 people.
After an hours drive, we stood before closed doors. After 40 mins wait, Alex
finally appeared.
After that things went quickly, everything noted/ marked off on the
leathers.
"Take your time, it's crappy weather anyway" was answered with " ok then, 4
weeks max."
4 weeks came and went. Repeated calls, then: "they'll all be done by Sat,
come at 10 again"
This time WE ran 30mins late, to make sure...
Nothing was done. Nothing was ready. 2 hrs driving and a half-Sat for zilch.
Tempers flared, answered by Alex with some sob-story about too much work,
throwing his cordless onto the workshop-floor, plastic bits flying.
OK, he'll get onto it over the weekend, drop them off on Tues/ Wed. at one
of our workplaces.
Again, nothing. More calls...and the shop-number was disconnected. Got him
on the mobile. Found out the new shop-number.
Yes..., he'll send them by mail. Tomorrow!!
More Bullshit (as expected by then), nothing turned up, the shop-number
rings out for days...
Finally some contact via mobile, getting told that 2 pairs are finished.
One of our trio knocks off work early to go and pick up those, rush-hour
Friday.
Get's told that he hasn't got them at the shop but at home.

More bad blood and heated words.
More calls over the next 2 weeks, then I get told that they're in the mail.
Regular or Overnighter? Regular !! I wait for 3 days, nothing shows up.
More calls....and I'm given a number. Calling Aussie Post, it turns out to
be an overnighter-number (express-bags). Call Alex again for him to trace
the parcel since it hasn't shown up after 3 days (according to him).
He calls back after supposedly checking with Aussie Post, saying to wait
over the weekend...
As usual...nothing.
After that, no further contact possible for 10 days (trying 2-3/day), the
shop-number rings out, the mobile is "switched off".
Visions of 3 sets of leathers being lost, the business going bust etc.

Then a copy of a Post-COD form rolled out of the fax, listing a few $100 for
3 sets of leathers.
Should I or shouldn't I? Is he sending me the pants as they were or a
stuffed pillow-case for $300+ ?
By now i certainly expect more of this shit and nothing would come as a
surprise.
4 months of hassles, bullshit and flimsy excuses, with the occasional
tantrum as a crowning glory.
I paid, got the stuff, ripped open the package in the back of the car...3
sets of leathers, obviously modified as initially agreed on.
They fit well now, it's a job well done.

Regardless of that, one "business" that'll never see me again.
I wouldn't know where to go next time, but rather find other ways than ever
calling Alex @ Clothes Mending Experts again.
He won't be around much longer with that sort of attitude anyway...

cheers
pete

glitch wrote:
 > After putting up for years with the bad fit of some
 > TigerAngel Custom-made pants, the better-half, a friend
 > and I decided to finally do something about
 > it and get the stuff across to Alex @ Clothes Mending
 > Experts in Elsternwick.
 >
 > Another friend had some work done there previously which
 > had taken way
 > longer than initially indicated, but turned out ok in the
 > end.
 >
 > Called, made appt. for a Sat. morning at 10 for 3 people.
 > After an hours drive, we stood before closed doors. After
 > 40 mins wait, Alex finally appeared.
 >
 > After that things went quickly, everything noted/ marked
 > off on the leathers.
 >
 > "Take your time, it's crappy weather anyway" was answered
 > with " ok then, 4 weeks max."
 >
 > 4 weeks came and went. Repeated calls, then: "they'll all
 > be done by Sat, come at 10 again"
 >
 > This time WE ran 30mins late, to make sure...
 >
 > Nothing was done. Nothing was ready. 2 hrs driving and a
 > half-Sat for zilch.

At this point, I would have taken my leathers back and left. I've been in
similar situation before with assorted no-hopers posing as tradesmen.


BTH<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->