Complaint Review: Matilda's Mouse Antiques - Valley Center California

Matilda's Mouse Antiques, is just down the street from me on the same road.  I have a lot of people, after finding out I live so close, they will ask me about the place and how I like it.  My mom and I have been shopping there for just over 3 years, always excited about the new month’s theme, products and just the back to memory lane feeling. We have talked this place up for years, but today May 19, 2017, our good butterfly's feeling turned into a nightmare.

My mom and I had been driving by for a week looking at this iron gazebo with benches and thought the week before was the time they were open.  The owner met us in the driveway and told us it was next weekend and invited us back.  My mom has Alzheimer’s and we had lots of errands to run, today and wanting to stop by before this item was sold, I stopped by at 9:00 a.m trying to be an early bird and as we began to look at merchandise outside and make our way to the gazebo we had been watching for the week before.  The owner told us that her store didn’t open until 10:00 a.m. I asked if it was ok to review the outside items, she allow us to do that, but let us know the inside was not for review, until their opening time.  We did inquire about the iron bench gazebo and asked its price the owner told us, we said we would take it and asked if the fern that hung in the middle was part of the price, she declined and said they would hold it for us, no time frame was stated or posted.  We stated we could buy it, the owner replied she hadn’t gone to the bank yet and that they would be happy to hold it for us and they took my info and gave me their little clothes pin with a number on it.  The owner explained that the item would be held under this number and if there were any questions they would call us.  I had done this many times before, so there was no reason for us to question it.

When she requested for us to go and have a cup of coffee and come back when they open at 10 they would be happy to help us.  I explained to the owner again we were on a schedule and that we would go for the coffee and try and turn after their opening, it was already 9:25 a.m. at this point.  No deposit was required, because they had not open and couldn’t take our money anyways, just took our info and posted a sold sign on the gazebo, with our info on it.  While getting coffee our contractor requested our presents at our home.  It took a little bit and I returned back to Mathilda’s at 11:15, My mother and I went inside as the gazebo was safe and sound, right in the same spot.  We continued to shop inside and having items placed on our number #78, by 12;35 p.m. we were ready to pay for our items and leave.  The gals at the desk proceeded to tell me that they sold our gazebo and that I didn’t come back within the 2-hour period of time and they sold it to another customer.  I was in the store when they sold it.

I looked at them as if they were joking, one gal older, short dark hair, said look you didn’t come back so the owner decided to resale the item.  I said no one called me, I had my cell on me.  They said they weren’t required to call.  There is NOTHING POSTED that states you only have a certain time to shop or we sell your items out from under you.  If they would have called, they would have heard the ring in the store as I was the store shopping when they were selling it to someone else.  The gal I talked about it above, stated many times over that they took someone else’s money and that it was sold and that was that, too bad for you. 

I asked her if she was the manager, she replied no, but she worked there.  I told her she couldn’t speak for the manager or owner.  I requested many time over to speak to the owner, but this gal kept auguring with me.  I told her the story and pulled the employee that was there were we were their earlier and she stated that they did not call me, but it’s a two-hour rule.  Again, nothing is posted.  The employees told me they do this all the time.  One either I was extremely lucky that they had never done that to me before or two they are lying. Again, nothing posted! I could see if it was Saturday afternoon and they tried calling.  No calls, one hour and 15 mins after they opened they took it upon themselves to sale it.  One gal stated she went and talked to the owner, while another told me she was very sick and they she couldn’t come to the store even though she was just right next door.  I had just seen her hours before and they week before that and she seemed to not have a thing wrong with her, either times.  I waited about 25 minutes, until when the long brown haired employee came back into the building and stated that the owner wouldn’t do anything about it. They took someone else’s money and that was that! That they would not call the customer they sold the item to and tell them they made a mistake.  I put my clip #78 on their counter and stated, I come almost every month.  I have brought many of my friends and family to this event, that they have had and they have bought $Hundreds of dollars in items.  I have bought a few thousand dollars there over the years and that if me as a customer is not going to be respected enough for them to call the other customers and correct their mistake or the owner herself come and talk with me (I have health issues too and I am a caregiver to two other people, but I held my end up) I would not be coming back, here again.  Their comments from a few employee’s, was that’s your choice.

My mom and I had a shock of our life.  We support local people to be able to stay in a small town with friendly people.  There was nothing friendly about this visit to Mathilda’s today and I won’t step by back or support another one of their events again.  In fact, when people ask and they will what do I think, all that sticks in my mind is the nightmare and the mistreatment of the employees nothing only to me, but my 77-year-old mother that was buying this for her afternoon sitting place.  How could anyone do that to a loyal customer? I guess living the dream of a small friendly town, comes down to the all mighty dollar and very little to no respect when it comes to your word. 

I will say, don’t let this color your thoughts about the rest of the businesses here, folks are friendly, smile and are down to earth, we love Valley Center, California, but the world is changing.