Andover Shop: Dingy den of scumbags

Originally Posted by iammatt

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They've always been friendly to me, and they have terrific merchandise.
I like the Andover shop but each time I go in there I feel like there's less and less that I'm interested in (and they don't really change their product lineup).

The Drake's ties were about it the last time I was there. I suppose Thurston braces if I were into that sort of thing.

Originally Posted by gehrig

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what possible use could you have had in mind for the pocket square that required you to determine its exact dimensions via tape measure??? couldn't you have held it up and looked at it, or plopped it into one of the jackets in the store??? it's hard for me to imagine someone laying a pocket square down flat on a table and meticulously measuring it out when they can just look at the thing

Well this wouldn't have happened in Japan, where customer service still exists. If you had asked for a measuring tape in the Japanese equivalent of the Andover Shop (e.g., Beams - http://www.beams.co.jp ), they would have quickly located a measuring tape for you and bowed as they handed it to you.

Gentlemen,

Thanks for the validation. It greatly helped to lower my blood pressure.

The irony (I think that's the word I am going for) is that they had some nice, relatively affordable stuff. I wanted to get 2-3 pocket squares, some socks and maybe even a Stetson fedora they had in my size but I refused to pay my hard earned scratch to abusive asshole retailers (but goddamnit I wanted those squares).

well i have to agree that this sounds like bad service, although 'dingy den of scumbags' is kind of immature as far as wording goes. what threw me off was nukeme's actual reason for wanting the tapemeasure. i find the image of a guy doubled over measuring the dimensions of a pocket square completely absurd. it's like me walking into a jamba juice and demanding a bunsen burner and a ph test so i can measure the caloric value or acidity or whatever of my smoothie. why not just look at the pocket square and buy it if you like it, i just can't fathom a reason to measure the thing

"Andover Shop: Dingy den of scumbags"

This almost makes it sound like a must-see destination. Not quite "wretched hive of scum and villainy", but getting there! Don't think I'd give them any of my money though!

Originally Posted by Holdfast

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" "wretched hive of scum and villainy"

Sorry, my office already has this description reserved. TM pending. Thanks for understanding.

Originally Posted by gehrig

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i find the image of a guy doubled over measuring the dimensions of a pocket square completely absurd. it's like me walking into a jamba juice and demanding a bunsen burner and a ph test so i can measure the caloric value or acidity or whatever of my smoothie. why not just look at the pocket square and buy it if you like it, i just can't fathom a reason to measure the thing

what a superb analogy! it's totally the same thing! tape measure = bunsen burner and ph test! YES!

You go girl.

It puzzles me that you were treated so shabbily. I know that it happens more often than not, but why are people discourteous to others because of their appearance? I feel sorry for them and say let's all treat this experience as a lesson to be less judgmental in such circumstances.

I've always hated that place. Had a less intense version of the confrontation that you just described. I hope that they go out of business. Apparently, the proprietors have not learned that it's not acceptable to condescend to customers any more.

Originally Posted by iammatt

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They've always been friendly to me...
Perhaps they recognize one of their own?

Apparently, others have also had bad experiences with Cable Car Clothiers.

Originally Posted by gehrig

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well i have to agree that this sounds like bad service, although 'dingy den of scumbags' is kind of immature as far as wording goes. what threw me off was nukeme's actual reason for wanting the tapemeasure. i find the image of a guy doubled over measuring the dimensions of a pocket square completely absurd. it's like me walking into a jamba juice and demanding a bunsen burner and a ph test so i can measure the caloric value or acidity or whatever of my smoothie. why not just look at the pocket square and buy it if you like it, i just can't fathom a reason to measure the thing
I can defniitely see how the guys could come across as crusty and condescending but I can also understand the desire to throw someone out if they wanted dimensions for a pocket square he had in his hands.

I have no idea what size pocket square I wear <insert Wang joke here> and I imagine that it could have come off as somewhat combative.

Gary Drinkwater

Originally Posted by gehrig

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well i have to agree that this sounds like bad service, although 'dingy den of scumbags' is kind of immature as far as wording goes. what threw me off was nukeme's actual reason for wanting the tapemeasure. i find the image of a guy doubled over measuring the dimensions of a pocket square completely absurd. it's like me walking into a jamba juice and demanding a bunsen burner and a ph test so i can measure the caloric value or acidity or whatever of my smoothie. why not just look at the pocket square and buy it if you like it, i just can't fathom a reason to measure the thing

not to be offensive, but i dont know why you are so hung up on this. who gives a sh*t why or whether its a common thing to do. objectively, even if you dont agree with the idea of measuring a pocket square, is the request so outlandish as to warrant the behaviour and subsequent request to leave that the OP endured?

wouldnt a more civilized and decent attitude for a retailer to take be something like 'you know, to be honest, we've never had that request before and im afraid we dont have a tape measure on hand'??

to be completely honest (and im not judging measuring with a tape measure either way), isnt part of a retailer's job to provide service - i mean, it is a service industry, right? that doesnt mean they have to fulfill every request a customer may have but certainly they have a responsibility to adopt an attitude of helpfulness, attention, and at the very least decency - otherwise, lets just have a bunch of cashiers and we will get our own sh*t off the racks.

If you went to a restaurant and ordered a coke and some cream to put in it (a weird request, i think most would agree) and your waiter started yelling at you and told you to leave wouldnt you find their attitude unwarranted?

I just dont see what the reasonableness of the request has to do with the subsequent behaviour, provided the request isnt offensive (as in sexual, threatening, demeaning, etc.)

Originally Posted by Cantabrigian

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I can defniitely see how the guys could come across as crusty and condescending but I can also understand the desire to throw someone out if they wanted dimensions for a pocket square he had in his hands.
I have to agree here. Don't want to defend these guys as they sound like a bunch of a-holes, but if someone asked me for a ruler to measure a square they have in their hands, I'd think they're just making fun of me or looking for ways to waste my time.

I'm with gehrig here in not understanding at all such a strange request