Beaverly saw some eyeglass frames she really liked on some Club Monaco in-store signage. No matter what she does, however, she can’t find out if they really exist and whether or not she can purchase the same frames for herself. They’ve gone so far as to make Russell, the sales guy who was trying to help her, “disappear.”

Here’s her story:

Late last year I was shopping at the Club Monaco store in Pentagon City. I saw a pair of glasses on a picture in their store. The sales associate at the time; Russell, informed me that they were made by Club Monaco. He said that the Lenscrafters store carried them but that he would try to get the name of them and send it to me. He was very polite and helpful and I ended up purchasing a cardigan and a belt he recommended. True to his word he called me and let me know that he had sent a series of emails to his corporate office and would call me back when he got a response.

A few weeks later he called again and informed me that he still had not heard back and had re-forwarded the email. He ended up calling me at least four times to let me know that he was still trying but was having no luck.

I then tried visiting the Club Monaco website and while the site is virtually impossible to navigate (visit it if you don’t believe me) I was able to locate a “general inquiries” email address. I sent the following:

Hello,

I saw a picture of a pair of glasses at your Pentagon City store a few months back. The frames were black with two small silver rivets on the front. They were rectangular shaped and I loved them! They were featured on a male model on a large picture in the front window of the store. I asked the salesperson; Russell, where they were from and he informed me that they were made by Club Monaco. He said that the Lenscrafters store carried them but that he would try to get the name of them and send it to me. He has called me multiple times to update me but has unfortunately had no luck hearing from his boss about them. He has really gone above and beyond trying to locate these for me but has had no luck.

The Lenscrafters store in the Pentagon City Mall does not have this pair (and are not helpful or interested in finding them). I am sure Russell will continue looking (he called just last month to let me know he hadn’t forgotten and was still looking), but if you know where I can find this pair I would greatly appreciate it!

-B.

The response I received was from a Todd Piercy – Area Manager Mid/Atlantic/Southeast. In it he said that he was sorry that no one had responded to me. I was quite upset that he had obviously not even bothered to read my email, if he had he would have clearly seen where I had complimented the salesman for following up with me in the first place. He asked me to describe the glasses to his stylist, apparently forwarding the description in my first email was simply too difficult or time consuming for him. I responded with my phone number so that he could contact me and subsequently received an emailed response from Tina Gershoff – Vice President, Retail, North America. She apologized for the inadequate reply from Mr. Piercy and informed me that someone would be calling me shortly. To this day I have not received a phone call or an email to my reply to Ms. Gershoff directly. It is as if they have decided I no longer deserve to communicate with them.

To add insult to injury I called the store on Saturday and talked with a man who became very nervous when I asked for Russell. When pressed for when he would be available he said that Russell had been laid off last month. I asked this new person if he knew what glasses I was referring to but of course he did not. I am frustrated by the fact that the only helpful person I have ever worked with at Club Monaco is now gone and further more he was the only one who a) knew what the glasses looked like & b) seemed to care.

At this point I am giving up. Obviously Club Monaco does not want me to buy these glasses from them or anything else for that matter.

What did poor, good-hearted Russell know that Club Monaco didn’t want Beaverly to find out? Who’s behind this “Club Monaco,” really? Is Beaverly in danger (of being ignored even more)?

If Beaverly is a lawyer, this could totally be a Grisham novel.

(Photo: Robyn Gallagher and matt512)

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