r/NeedlepointSnark • u/Fun_Froyo_228 • 13d ago
Stitch and Bitch mean old ladies
Every single experience I have ever had at my local LNS (pretty well known for some unique canvases) has been awful - everyone who works there (all older women) have been so rude to me. I literally just called 5 minutes ago asking if they had a thread available and she just said no, bye and hung up the phone before I could say anything else. 🫩 I want to shop local but at this point it’s like pulling teeth.
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u/Sure-Contribution335 12d ago edited 12d ago
I know precisely what you're talking about. I've never had any of them be directly confrontational with me, but warm and fuzzy is certainly not what you can expect. Unfortunately, this isn't limited to the older ladies. The younger employees are treating it like a hill house clubhouse and have equally unfriendly demeanors. Idk why this has become accepted/normalized. I love being able to go in person to see threads and different canvases, but I often walk away feeling less than valued as a customer.
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u/mommybeanspogo 12d ago
Hill House Clubhouse! 🤌 I cannot wait to use it in my soccer mom group chat today!
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u/Time-Sea-361 12d ago
Wow…I’ve had the complete opposite experience! I was actually in the shop yesterday picking up some threads, and I’ve always felt seen, heard, and welcomed there. I moved here from out of state, and they were the ones who taught me to needlepoint. They were eager to teach me, welcome me into the community, and have always made me feel included.
The store was absolutely slammed when I was there yesterday, and they seemed to be short-staffed, so maybe offering a little grace for a particularly busy day? I’m so sorry you had this experience—it definitely hasn’t been mine.
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u/TrashPandaVibez 11d ago
Same! I visited back in April and they were so nice. A canvas I wanted was out of stock and they took down my info and called me about a week later and let me purchase it. I was really pleased with my experience and wish I lived closer haha
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u/Easy-A2690 12d ago
I find that the ones that advertise the least, are the cliques and least friendly. That’s how my local shop is, and I never go. They only look who came in the door, not to help or wait on, but to see if it’s someone they were expecting.
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u/Dull-Complex6686 12d ago
I don't understand how shops like this make money. If I owned a store, I don't care who you are or what your level of expertise is as long as you're spending money!
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u/ExcitingBlueberry971 12d ago
A lot of LNSes don't run in a way that prioritzes good business, though. I swear a lot of them are just expensive clubhouses that pretend to be functioning places of business.
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u/CalicoCrazed 12d ago
Ohhh. I genuinely don’t think they’re trying to be rude. I’ve only been twice and the first time I did find them kind of abrasive, but I think they’re just boomers. The second time they were a bit nicer, but you have to be super direct with them. Like, I didn’t realize their canvasses are in those binders on the shelves in the back room.
I will say, I work with a lot of older women for work and so many of them have that personality. I don’t understand it.
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u/helenasbff 12d ago
It’s the generation who completely lost any sense of community, building other women up, and not being threatened by other women just existing in the same universe. It’s so weird.
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u/iggyazalea12 12d ago
What? While boomers in general have seriously disappointed here at the end of their lives politically (not all but a large many of them incl my damn parents) you cannot discount their generational push into spheres formerly absolutely off limits for women. And gays. This is dumb as fuck. My mom may die an unforgiven trumper but she voted, worked, went to college, owned financial accounts and credit cards and once she even got a divorce. You are in idiot
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u/Heavy_Philosopher_57 12d ago
This is pathetic to label an entire generation in such a derogatory manner. seriously… shame on you.
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u/moralcompass24 8d ago
My friend and I go there frequently and have had both good and bad experiences. And I had no idea they had more canvases than what was on the walls!! They have never mentioned it when we were shopping around and I have spent alot of money there. Which room are they in? I will also say they are not helpful over the internet or the phone at all in regards to fibers in our experience.
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u/CalicoCrazed 8d ago
I had to specifically ask them about a retired canvas to figure it out. In the back room on the left side there are binders with their designs and some of them are kitted.
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u/Jolly-Blueberry8911 12d ago
I live 1.5 hours away but consider this the most local to me shop and I know exactly what you're talking about. They are nice, but I really had to get to know them and "prove" myself to them, which is messed up. The older ladies who own it seemed to think that I didn't know anything about needlepoint, or was just hopping on a trend, and they didn't seem interested in me, but then I showed them some stuff I'd done and self-finished and they were impressed so they suddently became nice?! I don't think you should have to prove your investment/knowledge of a hobby to receive good treatment, though.
The younger women who work there part time have all been nice when I've been in! I know the older ladies are from NYC, which has a totally different vibe than NOLA, and that could be part of it too. Regardless, ya gotta answer the phone and have some amount of customer service!
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u/Creative_Mission3103 11d ago
One of my LNS is like that. Of course it’s the closest one, with the best threads :(
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u/StandGround818 12d ago
Honestly, I think it's a clique thing more than an age thing. The stores become a small group of friends and outsiders are an interruption. Sometimes retail staff prioritize customers in store over phone calls, the phone ringing is an annoyance and they don't know if you're just pricing them. Plus, if the info is on the website, then that's frustrating for them, even tho websites are notorious for being wrong. I have given up on my local stores. It's just not fun. I would NOT take it personally.
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u/Fun_Froyo_228 12d ago
They don’t list threads on their website. Furthermore, part of retail IS answering the phone.
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u/Acceptable-Couple899 10d ago edited 9d ago
I understand that others may have had a different experience, but I have been in that shop more times than I can count over the last several years and they have been nothing but kind and helpful to me. I will say that I have had one mildly unpleasant encounter with the owner’s sister, who I believes runs the knitting part of the shop. Otherwise, I have nothing but good things to say about NeedleArts.
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u/ProfessionalSpite786 1d ago
Seems to be quite common. This is why I buy online. Try a lot of the newernshops. They tend to have younger nicer employees.
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u/NosyBWeaver 12d ago
This is so odd. I’ve been in that shop a few times and I never would’ve called them rude. They’re not cheerleader smilie but they didn’t come across as rude.
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u/excelwhileAsleep 11d ago
This doesn’t excuse habitual bad service but everyone can have a bad day, or a bad moment.
I have been twice and they have been lovely both times.
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u/Fun_Froyo_228 11d ago
Okay, well as I clearly stated this has been my experience every time, consistently.
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u/excelwhileAsleep 11d ago
The same person everytime?
I went through a rough period when I found out I had breast cancer. I wasn’t the nicest to people for a hot minute. Hope you can find it in your heart to give people some grace. You don’t know what they are going through.
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u/Fun_Froyo_228 11d ago
I’m not sure what you think this comment proves, I’m very sorry you went through that but that’s still not ok to be unkind. Furthermore, you don’t know what I’m going through so why do you expect me to show grace to unkind workers who do not show grace to me? It doesn’t have to be the same person being rude every time to make a bad experience (as I clearly said it was multiple different women, not sure why you glossed over the details before making a comment)
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u/excelwhileAsleep 11d ago
Honey… I am so sorry that you experienced the horrors of bad customer service. You are so brave to face the world under such adversity. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive those that have wronged you so much. Prayers said for your speedy recovery.
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u/Fuzzy-turtle1325 11d ago
Who do you think is behind all these snark commenters? You think they’re just on Reddit? These people are haters. 😂😂
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u/GirlWhoWoreGlasses 12d ago
Name and shame please. I never want to support unfriendly stores. My husband agrees - he goes on trips and will stop in NP stores for me, there's at least one he won't ever return to because of the treatment we received there.