Marvelous Cleaners

Review: I had given two woolen scarves for dry cleaning at this shop. When I went to pick them up today (Nov 24, 2013), one of the scarves had shrunk and was completely spoiled, while the other one seemed ok. When I asked the woman at the counter (whose name possibly is [redacted]) why this had happened she started shouting racist comments at me which included comments like "people from your country don't know how to wash clothes, they wash it by hand", "go back to your country". Then another man came into the shop and this woman whispered something in his ear and he started yelling at me along with her things like "if you want to stay in this country shut your mouth". I was scared to death. With all this yelling and shouting my 4 yr old daughter started crying. I have lived in San Diego around this area for 10 yrs but never had such an awful experience, where, firstly the service was bad and the shop spoiled my clothes, and on top of that instead of apologizing they shouted and yelled at me so much so that I was scared for myself and my children's safety.Desired Settlement: Nothing short of replacement of the damaged item and letter of apology for their rude, awfully racist behavior and harassment.

Business

Response:

[redacted]

Marvelous Cleaners

9396 Mira Mesa Blvd, Ste D

San Diego, CA 92126

December 8th, 2013

Revdex.com

4747 Viewridge Ave, #200

San Diego, CA 92123

Dear [redacted]:

The customer came in on Nov. 21st, 2013 to drop off two scarves to be dry-cleaned. I must

begin by stating that this was this customer's first time at our store, I mention this because

if you speak to any other dry cleaner owner they will agree that almost 100% of

problematic customers are first time customers. This could be the case for a number of

reasons; possibly because they have created similar dramatic scenes at other dry cleaners

in hopes of not having to pay for services rendered, whatever the case may be, I believe

that Mrs. [redacted] being a first time customer undermines the validity of her accusations,

considering we have been in the dry cleaning business for over 20 years and have never

once been accused of such outlandish acts.

Back to the matter at hand, so she brought in two scarves(black and tan), the tan scarf was

extremely dirty and had numerous stains, and although we are a dry cleaning business,

when an item of clothing comes in that is dirtier than normal or after looking at it we are

doubtful we may be able to rid the item of all the stains, we pre-emptively warn the

customer before they leave that we can and will try our best to remove the stains, however

we cannot guarantee that we will be able to remove any stains and question the customer

if, after knowing this, would they still like to leave the item to be dry cleaned. This was

exactly what happened in the situation with Mrs. [redacted], and she said she understood that

there were no guarantees but that she'd still like to leave the item to be dry cleaned.

Mrs. [redacted] returned on Nov. 24th, 2013 to pick up her two scarves, and when we brought

them to her she looked at them and she began to question if we had dry cleaned it or

washed it in water. I replied that of course we dry cleaned them. At this point, Mrs. [redacted]

began to create a scene, she started to yell that I had washed them in water, which was

absolutely ridiculous for her to assume what we had done with the item. This was also the

beginning of when she shouted that she wasn't going to pay for the clothes, and that she

wanted them for free. As far as her accusations that I started to shout racist comments at

her, I've never heard something so absurd, as an immigrant myself, the idea that I would

shout racist things at another immigrant is so far-fetched that that statement alone should

be grounds for throwing her entire claim out. As a woman, born in Korea, the trials and

tribulations I've had to endure to reach America to ultimately start my own small business,

someone like Mrs. [redacted] who I'm sure as an immigrant herself has had to face similar

obstacles should understand how backwards it would be for myself to shout racist

comments at another immigrant.

Around the 7th time that Mrs. [redacted] accused me of washing her scarf, another customer

walked into our store. This customer, I will admit is a long time regular named [redacted],

a man we would definitely consider at this point not just a customer but a friend. After

being blindsided by all the yelling that Mrs. [redacted] was doing( at this point I had made it

very simple for Mrs. [redacted], either pay for your clothes and take them or call the police like

she had threatened to do), Mr. [redacted] proceeded to whisper in MY ear, that people of Mrs.

[redacted]'s culture always want things for free. Just like her accusation that I had made racist

comments, she also is mistaken that I was the one to whisper in Mr. [redacted]'s ear, I did not.

He was the one that leaned over and whispered in my ear his comment that she wanted her

clothes for free and I did not reply or respond to his comment at all. I have since spoken

with Mr. [redacted] and have shown him Mrs. [redacted]'s letter and he has said he was willing to

write his own letter giving his timeline and interpretation of what happened from the

moment he entered the store at my request, therefore, if this is something that you would

like I will request for him to write and send it in.

After denying Mrs. [redacted]'s multiple attempts of demanding her clothes at no charge she

finally called the police. One more thing I would like to point out is that at NO time did her

daughter ever start crying. I don't know if the police officer who came to resolve the

situation would be able to remember or I would be interested in what the daughter's

answer would be if she were asked if she cried in our store, but Mrs. [redacted]'s claim that her

daughter started crying is another false claim, one of many in her letter. Once the police

officer showed up, Mrs. [redacted] continued with her idea that she was not going to pay for

her clothes, eventually Mrs. [redacted] finally relented after realizing there was no possible

way that this situation would end in her getting to take her clothes at no cost. She finally

came into the store and paid for her clothes and left.

I have been in the dry cleaning business for over 20 years and have been in my share of

situations where a customer is trying to scam us for either free service or to pay for their

clothes, just like Mrs. [redacted]'s current claim, I have been in this business long enough to

know when someone is trying to take advantage of me. However, in all my years and all the

different situations I have been in, I have never seen a more ridiculous claim that was full of

so many outlandish lies. Her e-mail address seems totally fitting to her actions and her

claims ... juvenile.

Sincerely,

Owner of Marvelous Cleaners