Pointer Ridge Cleaners

Review: On 10 January 2014, I returned to the Pointer Ridge Cleaners to pick up my favorite, brown, winter jacket that I’d purchased from [redacted] approximately four years ago. To my shock and dismay my favorite jacket was totally ruined e.g. the striping alongside the zipper and pockets was shredded from heat. What I found totally appalling was the owner tried to make it seem it was MY FAULT by insisting the jacket was supposed to be machine-washed NOT dry-cleaned and the owner kept my pre-payment of $14.95. There was remorse, but no attempt to reimburse or reconcile, other than recommending I return the jacket to the store I purchased it from. I would have done so had the cleaners, I’ve been going to for many years, had not cleaned the jacket before without any problem. This was negligence possibly by a new, untrained, employee and the owner would not accept responsibility, not even to keep a long-term customer like myself. Very disheartening.

It is not unusual for busy customers to bring washables to a cleaner for cleaning/ironing convenience. If the jacket should not have been cleaned, the owner knows me and could have called me to advise. Conversely, I surmise the reason why the owner did not contact me to advise the jacket should not be dry-cleaned is because she or an experienced worker had cleaned it before without any problem. I believe a new employee placed my jacket on the pressing ironing board because of lack of knowledge that it did not require pressing. The owner was probably just as disturbed because she knew a mistake was made by a new employee. In other words, I did not buy the owner's explanation that the dryer burned the plastic on my jacket's trim. It never did before. I was in the establishment once before, expressing a concern regarding the shiny seems on one of my dress jackets, when the owner called the iron presser to the front and explained that she was not to press down so hard and long on clothing with the iron. It could have been that same worker who ruined my brown jacket. It looked as though the silent worker did not appreciate being corrected in front of me. In other words, there's evidence of untrained or newly trained workers who have fallen short in job performance at the expense of my jacket and perhaps other long-term customers.

After 15 minutes of discussions with the owner, it was obvious the owner had no intention of honoring my request to pay for the damages. Therefore, I left the store and the ruined jacket with intention of seeking another avenue to bring a swift, peaceful, and fair resolve.

Reporting this matter to the Revdex.com is my first attempt to bring resolve because this is not the first time this dry cleaner has ruined their customers’ clothing. Approximately a year ago, upon my entering the small establishment, a very irate, tall, young lady was shouting at the owner and threatening to burn down her property because the Pointer Ridge dry cleaner shrunk her size 10 ($400.00) suede jacket. I witnessed for myself the jacket (laying on the counter in dispute) was too small for the vocal young lady. The owner had no intention of reconciling the fact that the jacket was shrunk. Instead, the owner tried to convince the customer the jacket did not shrink. After that customer left, the owner quickly offered to reimburse me 100% the cost for a pair of my dress slacks I’d put in for alterations. The owner admitted they disappeared. Then a pair of my husband’s (new) expensive suit pants disappeared shortly after that incident. However, there was no offer to reimburse my husband for the loss of property. Why the customer service difference? It is my opinion, the difference in accountability stemmed from the fact that my $60.00, size 10, dress slacks still had the store tags on them and someone at the establishment fitted the brand new slacks and took them. Therefore, there was no issue in readily paying me for them. However, my husband’s new $100.00 suit pants did not have the tag on them (proving they too were unworn).

Over the past four to five years, the Pointer Ridge Cleaners destroyed at least $1000.00 worth of my dress jackets, slacks and sweaters. Each time I would point out to the owner my displeasure with shining on my clothing (due to excessive heat during their ironing board pressing process) and would consistently insist on light pressing or no pressing. Of course, after my favorite jacket was ruined, my husband and I do not plan to return to the convenient Pointer Ridge Cleaners. We (now) would rather be inconvenienced.Desired Settlement: I would like the following prioritized resolves/outcomes:

1. I want to be reimbursed for the pre-payment to clean my brown jacket

2. $25.00 for the cost of the four-year-old jacket (which is less than ½ the original

3. I want the Pointer Ridge owner to send the jacket to the Dry Cleaning & Laundry Institute’s (DLI’s) Textile Analysis Laboratory for analysis of what happened to my jacket this time

4. A copy of the analysis report mailed to my home address

5. Professional training for the Pointer Ridge cleaners staff so that other customers won't continue to go through losing their valuable clothing and coats.

6. Signs posted in the establishment for customer’s awareness of the DLI’s customer service expectations