The Soleil Bookbindery

It always surprises me when people find a bad review about a business because let's be honest, how many people go online to post positive reviews.

The service that I received at the [redacted] Bookbindery was honest and fair, I would say. The owner is more knowledgable than any person I have ever met in the past or since with regard to paper, size issues, binding issues and repair offerings. I've gone to other binderies and have had very expensive dealings with them.

While I may have waited a little longer than I wanted to, the reason is simple: this business owner offers more than fair pricing for her services. And I'll be that this puts her in a pretty difficult position as a sole proprietorship: a lot of work at prices that are lower than her competitors, and so it takes longer. I understood this going in. And she told me that the repair could take longer and that she works every day of the week. Who works every day of the week?



Look at how we, as consumers, are treated at [redacted] and other businesses where we stand in line forever and ever. [redacted] made an appointment with me, and she gave me a fair price to repair my book. Yes, it took longer than I expected but so did [redacted] I waited months for my computer to be repaired. It took less for my book to be repaired.

We're all trying to make it in the world and I think sole proprietorships should be given a little extra kindness. Because look folks. You start complaining about these small businesses and the next place you're going with your book is to a corporation that will charge you a thousand dollars for a repair. Believe me. I know. I went before I found [redacted].

* An honest, fair business. Just call.

My husband spoke with Susan on the phone and ordered two journals. He mailed a check for $100 - very reasonable if quality is what it was when she was located in Rochester, NY. It was a month before she cashed the check. He has called her twice since then and left messages, with no response. At this point I've given up on ever receiving the books, or a refund. I don't know what her problem is, but Susan Soleil is a craftsman I will avoid henceforth.

I sent an old manuscript to Ms. [redacted], along with a check. Ms. [redacted] cashed the check and never bound or returned my manuscript.I learned of Ms. [redacted] via the internet. I wanted to have an old manuscript bound, and contacted her by e-mail and then by phone. After several communications with her, she set a price and I mailed the manuscript and a check to her. She cashed the check, but I never heard back from her. I made numerous attempts to reach her by phone and email, but never succeeded. This happened over two years ago, but I am still trying to get her to return the old manuscript, which holds great sentimental value. I can live with the fact that she defrauded me by taking my money and not performing the contracted service, but I struggle with the knowledge that she won't return the manuscript. Can the Revdex.com help?Desired SettlementI would like the return of my manuscript. I will pick it up in person.

It always surprises me when people find a bad review about a business because let's be honest, how many people go online to post positive reviews.
The service that I received at the [redacted] Bookbindery was honest and fair, I would say. The owner is more knowledgable than any person I have ever met in the past or since with regard to paper, size issues, binding issues and repair offerings. I've gone to other binderies and have had very expensive dealings with them.
While I may have waited a little longer than I wanted to, the reason is simple: this business owner offers more than fair pricing for her services. And I'll be that this puts her in a pretty difficult position as a sole proprietorship: a lot of work at prices that are lower than her competitors, and so it takes longer. I understood this going in. And she told me that the repair could take longer and that she works every day of the week. Who works every day of the week?
Look at how we, as consumers, are treated at [redacted] and other businesses where we stand in line forever and ever. [redacted] made an appointment with me, and she gave me a fair price to repair my book. Yes, it took longer than I expected but so did [redacted] I waited months for my computer to be repaired. It took less for my book to be repaired.
We're all trying to make it in the world and I think sole proprietorships should be given a little extra kindness. Because look folks. You start complaining about these small businesses and the next place you're going with your book is to a corporation that will charge you a thousand dollars for a repair. Believe me. I know. I went before I found [redacted].
* An honest, fair business. Just call.","pos-1

Complaint5 valuable antique books were given to Ms. Soleil on 7/14/2014 for repair and cleaning. She has not responded to any attempt to communicate with her.5 valuable antique books were given to Ms. Soleil on 7/14/2014 for repair and cleaning. I gave her half payment as down-payment for her services by check, $80.We set a date in early August for me to pick up the books. The day of that appointment I called to be sure they were ready, but got no reply from the message left on her machine. I have since called and emailed multiple times and have received no communication from her. I have offered sympathy for any issues preventing her from working but required a communicative response.I would simply like my books back, whether finished or not. She has not responded to any attempt to communicate with her.Desired SettlementImmediate return of my books whatever state they may currently be in.

Paid to have two Bible's stamped with name and baptism date. The Bible was labeled and one was stamped incorrectly and labeled to cover this up.My wife and I dropped our Bibles off with her near her office / home. She said she didn't have any additional receipts but wrote the details of our order. This was done on October 10.2013. She said they would be ready the next day. On October 11, 2013 while in route to pick up the Bibles she called and stated that she had to get the correct foil color from a friend for the stamping and that they wouldn't be ready until the 12th. On the 12th we called her and she said they were ready. We met her to pick them up and instead of stamping they were labeled with our name and baptism date. She said this was done because she didn't have the correct foil color after all. After looking at the Bibles more closely we decided we didn't like it because it's not what we asked for and we decided we would pull the labels off and I was going to ask for our money back. One Bible looked fine once the label was removed but the other Bible had been stamped, but stamped with my wife's incorrect baptism date. So all along it looks as though the labels were indeed a way to cover up her original mistake. When I called her to discuss this with her she said she was having a health issue with her grandson and she couldn't discuss it at the moment and could I call her again. I have not been able to even discuss my issue with her.Desired SettlementMy wife's Bible is ruined, but I am just seeking my $40 back that we paid her for the correct stamping.

Three promised delivery dates have been missed and business does not respond to phone or email messages.We delivered a book for repair and rebinding on 7/5/14 and were given a 7/12 delivery date, place and time. Ms. [redacted] never showed up. Phone and email messages went unanswered. Three weeks later, on 8/1, we accidentally ran into Ms. [redacted] while shopping and she gave us a hardship story about why she had not delivered our book and promised to deliver it the next day. Again she was a no-show. The following day she left a phone message for us, giving another long-story excuse, and promised to deliver the book on 8/5. Yet again she was a no-show. Further email messages have gone unanswered.Desired SettlementWe want our book back now, rebound or not. If it is indeed repaired and rebound we will pay the agreed price.Consumer Response After weeks of more unanswered phone calls and emails and a note left on the business door, we by chance ran into Ms [redacted] on Sept 19, demanded our book back and arranged a pick-up for the next day. We got our repaired and rebound book, which she was finishing when we arrived, and she refused payment, apologizing for, but not explaining the long delay.

Ms. [redacted] has had 3 books of ours for 2 months now and repeatedly has excuses as to why she cannot return these books (repaired or not) to us.I went to a presentation at a local library on this bookbinder in January 2013.I contacted person by phone in early 2014 to have some books looked at and made arrangements to visit her studio on 1/18/14. Took 3 books - a cookbook of my mothers that was a wedding gift to her - another cookbook that my mother used very much, and a small old antique book of the Hiawatha poem - all needed repair. We have pictures of these books. These books are not valuable except to us for obvious sentimental reasons.She detailed what was needed to repair them, said it would take less than a week to do, gave us a price and wrote out a work order (we have that document). She asked if we could meet her in Raleigh (we are in Raleigh - she is in Chapel HIll) the next weekend to pick up the books as she had another errand to run in Raleigh that day.She called the day before we were supposed to pick up the books from her and said she was very sick and could not meet us and had not had time to do the books. We called her back and said fine, call us when she gets well and we'll rearrange.We didn't hear anything for a while and so on 2/16, I sent her a note asking for an update. I didn't hear anything, and so called again in late February and was able to reach her. She claimed she was out of town, would be back Monday and could we meet then. We decided to meet with her at her studio on Saturday, March 8th at 1 pm.She called at 10:30 the morning of the 8th and claimed she was delayed out of town due to [redacted] airport issues (of which there are none on record- we checked after the call) and we arranged again to meet her next Saturday (the 15th) to pick up our books.We left our house early to go to Chapel Hill to have lunch prior to our meeting and we received from her 3 calls (2 messages) on our cell phone (between 11:30 and 1 pm) and 1 call on our home phone telling us that she had gone in at 8 a.m. that morning to have her car repaired and it was taking much longer (they need a part, her car was disassembled, it would be later that afternoon before she could meet with us at best)...we went to her home at 1 pm (the time of the original appt) and she was not there, so we called her back on my husband's phone. She explained that she was at the dealership and they would not have her car ready until the afternoon - we told her that we were in town at her studio and since she was waiting at the dealership, we'd come pick her up and bring her home (to her studio) to do the transaction and take her back to the dealership for her car. The dealership was all of a sudden in Raleigh and it made no sense for us to come get her and drive back to Chapel Hill. She asked if she could bring the books by either tonight or tomorrow to our home as she had family in Raleigh and would visit them on Sunday. At this point, we did not want this person coming to our home. We again asked her what dealership she was at, and after being briefly flustered, she said Chrysler - but she never clarified which one she was at (we asked) and in fact, tried to change the subject from that inquiry.I then told her that I didn't believe she has repaired the books, and we wanted to resolve this today and get our books back whether repaired or in the original condition or we would take appropriate action to get our books back. She said that would be alot of effort/work on our part and please, let's resolve this. We hung up the phone. At this point, we have lost faith in this coming to resolution between us without some intervention. The books have no value except to us (sentimentality) and we cannot understand why she will not just give them back. Fortunately, no money has passed hands thus far.We have the work order, pictures of our books, and telephone calls from her about 'being sick', and being 'stuck at a dealership'.We want our books back and others to be warned that this person is not a vendor with whom they want to do business except with great risk. Desired SettlementWe want our books back, either in the condition we gave them to her, or repaired according to what she documented, and if repaired to our satisfaction, we will pay what she indicated on the work order. We have spent multiple days now scheduling our time to meet with her and we are hesitant to go there again (it is a 1/2 hour drive). And we do not want her to come to our home. She can ship the books to us at our home.- More info received from the consumer 2014-03-21[redacted] contacted us last night and we arranged to meet in Raleigh today (3/21) for her to deliver the books. She arrived on time, we reviewed the books, and paid her in cash the money she was owed for the work she had done. Thank you for assisting us in getting our books back.