Please don't blame the employees. As you read my review you will soon see that they are handicapped by the owner.
I'll be honest. You may or may not have a good experience with Quanetta. You've got a 50/50 shot. You might meet the warm, professional, downright genteel Quanetta, or you might meet the screaming hysterical vicious one. Whichever version of her you meet, you won't be able to believe that the other side exists... until you see it. If you have a good experience, consider yourself lucky. Keep in mind as you read the following that she is apparently a minister. She also often bragged of being a "certified counselor." This fact never ceased to astound me.
I worked for this company for approximately a month. The interview was amazing -- Quanetta Lewis, the owner, was warm, charming, engaging, intelligent, energetic, ect. It seemed like a dream job. I hugged her by the end of the interview.
The first day of work I heard her scream so loudly at a customer on the phone that the walls rattled. When I turned to a fellow employee, she mumbled "I wish I could tell you this was the first time." It was not to be the last.
My second day I was (completely without any training whatsoever) expected to man the shop by myself. I was unable to assist customers and was reprimanded in the very same breath for asking too many questions or asking not enough. I asked for training constantly and she said she didn't want to "overwhelm" me. Even when she was in her boutique, which was not as often as you might imagine, she wasn't "in" -- I wasn't to disturb her most of the time.
My third day she pulled me aside to say that God told her to inform me that I should not be gay (it just so happens I'm not and had given no indication as such) and to honor my father and mother (who I'm estranged from.)
Believe it or not, it all went downhill from here.
*I was constantly handling enraged brides who had not received their products or who received them late, damaged, or incorrectly altered. I saw her handle one very sweet-natured, quiet customer by screaming at the top of her lungs at her and telling her that she was "very disappointed" in her, then kicking her out.
*She was on "Seven on Your Side", exposed by a bride who didn't get her dress on time.
*She claims she will call people back and then doesn't.
*She uses God as a defense for things she does that are incredibly unChristian.
*She has a million excuses for everything.
*She will do everything she can to add more fees and such to the cost of the gown.
*She dodged phone calls constantly. She asked me to lie to customers about her whereabouts.
*When angry people would arrive she would run to the back to hide and have me deal with it -- which, after seeing her abuse her customers so rudely, I was actually happy to do because I wanted to treat them with more respect than they were getting with her.
*I watched her talk circles around people all the time with an expert ease that was disturbing. Everything was always everyone else's fault.
*She implied that she should deal with black customers, I (a white woman) should deal with white customers, and a latina employee should deal with latino customers.
*In one instance I had to actually pay about $70 to have some dresses steamed for an abused customer because it became apparent that they would not be ready for them to pick up THE AFTERNOON BEFORE THE WEDDING, even though they had been ordered well in advance. I was then reprimanded for doing this (and I here I thought I was going to be thanked for saving Ms. Lewis!)
*People who worked for her were not paid on time or were given bounced checks. She would become enraged when they inquired about payment. She would claim to have no money, but her lifestyle indicates otherwise. She doesn't have a clock-in machine or time cards, and she shorted hours constantly. I suspect she was trying to wrangle us into income tax evasion.
If, despite this warning you decide to buy something, get EVERYTHING in writing --the sales agreement you sign is not meant to protect you -- and have her write down the DELIVERY date, NOT the ship date (big difference, apparently.) Never pay for rush, she just pockets this money, and it will still be late. If you really want a dress from here, just purchase it straight off the rack and take it home. Don't have anything shipped. Don't have anything altered. You are very likely to regret it if you do. She will be lovely until she has your money, then all bets are off and you may or may not be treated differently.
I wasn't around long enough to figure out if she's actually a con artist or if she's mentally ill. I'm tempted to give her the benefit of the doubt and say that she's got some kind of borderline personality disorder, because her Jekyl and Hyde syndrome is so severe. I have to think that after she has had to shut down and restart so many businesses, been sued, seen all the negative customers reviews, gotten a negative rating from the Better Business Bureau, that if she still blames everyone else she isn't right in the head.
I apologize to any of the customers that I was forced to lie to, evade, or manipulate to keep my job. In the end I quit in large part because I have a conscience and couldn't stand the humiliation of working for such a messed up company.