I have shopped at this store for 25 years - jewelry, hats, children's gifts, Dia de Los Muertos items, glass wear, serapes and baskets for parties, and putting together Southwest food baskets for Holiday gifts every year. I have brought visiting family members here for everything from t-shirts to expensive jewelry items. The staff is helpful and friendly. The owner, "Hong", however - is not. She has a major attitude and has been rude and insulting on more than one occasion. I have had her follow me around like a suspected shoplifter when needing to try on a "Double D Ranchwear" t-shirt. It isn't my fault the only dressing room is in another area of the store, and "Lucita" already knew who I was/what I was trying on. Further, if a store owner is following a customer - the proper approach is to offer service: "How are you doing? Can I get you a different style or size?" Hong does not offer service if her subordinates are present. Hong has also insulted the jewelry I was wearing at the time - a $500 item. Her insult was in response to the fact I asked the source of the turquoise on an item in her case. My grandfather was Native American and I have an extensive collection and have worked with turquoise, so I do know the characteristics between the turquoise produced by the domestic mines and how it differs from Mexican and Chinese turquoise. I have truly made an effort to practice more graciousness than she clearly possesses by NOT observing that I could easily identify types of turquoise decades before she married into the Bischoff family. Further, I have heard her misrepresent some of her products to tourists. (Native Americans will usually identify their jewelry by the terms "Native American", "Zuni", "Navajo," etc - not "Indian Made.") Further, a majority of her earrings - particularly the Repousse- can be found on eBay.....identical product - 60% less. If one purchases here, I would definitely ask for proof of authenticity. (and they do have some real works of art, but their inventory is a mix). There's another issue: pricing. She clearly counts on the naive "one-purchase tourists" as her priority clients, because she has clothing hanging in her (unbelievably disorganized) clothing area that is nearly 3 years old (2012 Double D Ranchwear t-shirt, "The Wild Ones" for example). So, from a local who shopped often at this store: I've decided that I can find any of these items elsewhere at any number of businesses that value my patronage. And my sincere apologies to the friendly and helpful staff that have to work under her. It's taken me a long time to write this review, and I kept going back and just avoiding her. In that time, I've discovered her attitude is already widely known around town.
Choose the sentiment of this review?
pick from the following.
(I) negative.
(II) positive.
(I)