Sears Hometown Store

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CLOSED NOW - Opens at 9:00am

I bought a washer from the Philadelphia Sears store and went to pick it up myself a few days later. The manager loaded the washer while talking on his cellphone which bothered me but, what could I do, tell him to hang up? Not my style. So, the guy loaded the washer into my truck while I waited on him. While he was loading, I offered him a tie-down and he told me I didn't need it and that the washer would stay put if I drove normally. Quote, "As long as you don't go ninety around a curve you're all good." Well, I figured since he did this stuff for a living and I didn't, he was to be trusted. I put my tie- down back in the truck, asked him if I was good to go and he said, "Yes, mam. You're all set." while standing in the back of my pickup. I got in the truck while he got out of the back and then I drove away. Little did I know that the guy failed to close my tailgate. A mile down the road....the washer slides out and does several thousand dollars in damage to a truck behind me when he hit the washer. My husband called and talked to the manager who loaded the washer and he told hubby this, "The tailgate was lower than the loading dock and I didn't want to have to jump down to the ground then climb back up to the dock just to close the tailgate." Then, when asked why he didn't inform the customer(me) of this he replied, "It was my mistake, sorry about that. I was not paying attention." Hubby left a message for the owner, Lee Gardner to call us and rang off. The next day I waited until one pm for his call- which never came- so I called the store. Mr. Gardner wasn't there and I left a message to return my call. Well, this went on for two more days. Finally, Mr. Gardner called. I told him what happened and he never said anything to me except that he wasn't responsible for loading the washer and that there is a sign that says so on the dock. He told me his employees aren't allowed to secure any appliance to a customers truck. He answered every question or statement I nicely made with that same statement, over and over again. Finally, after hearing him repeat himself I shook my head and just hung up. Why wasn't I told this information before hand? Why did the manager tell me the washer was good to go if it wasn't? All the manager had to do was tell me he couldn't secure it and I would've done it myself. I specifically asked the manager if the washer was secure and he told me it was. $800.00 down the drain plus another $1000.00 for the damage to the truck that hit the washer after it slid out of my truck. And no, I wasn't speeding. I was accelerating from a stop sign. It slid out while I was going around 15 miles per hour. I don't know what I expected- maybe a discount on another washer or some kind of apology but, I never got it and I never will. My attorney says I have a case since the manager purposely left the tailgate down and told my husband he did so but, I think a bad review will go further than getting my money back. So, you be the judge.....Would you do business with a man like Lee Gardner(the owner of our Philadelphia Sears branch) and his cellphone loving manager? I NEVER will again and will do my best to tell all my friends and family about my experience there. The grapevine is a powerful thing in a small town...