Lake Arrowhead Nursery - Lake Arrowhead, California

sean olson

SHE JUST CAN'T BE BOTHERED

I was looking to buy $1,000+ worth of trees, so I drove to Lake Arrowhead Nursery. When I walked in the owner was on her cell phone and wouldn't put it down, but she said hello and asked me what I wanted. Fair enough -- she was alone in the store, so I told her "I'm looking for four trees."

"We have lot's of trees, just go and look," she said.

"No. I'm looking for four specifc trees," I say. "I need four Adirondack Crabapples, hopefully 25 gallon."

"We probably don't have those," She chirps without putting down the phone, "plus I'm selling the business and won't be ordering anything else. You should try another nursery."

Again, fair enough. I did go to another nursery, and it turns out that no one stocks or has ready access to Adirondack Crabapple trees in the Lake Arrowhead area. My wife and I reviewed our options and decided that we could use the Royal Raindrops Crabapple. It's a beautiful tree that's very popular, and they would work in the landscape design that we had spent a great deal of time, money and effort to build.

This time I called Lake Arrowhead Nursery insetad of driving the half hour from Crestline to Cedar Glen. The owner answers the phone.

"Hi," I said. "I'm looking for four Royal Raindrop Crabapples of a similar size, preferably in 25 gallon containers."

"We have lot's of Royal Raindrops," she replies.

"Great," I say. "Do you have four in a similar size?"

"I don't know," she answers. "Can you just drive by and look?"

"I'd rather not make the trip, if you don't have them," I say. "Can't you check inventory for me?" I ask.

"I'm really busy right now. and I'd have to call you back," she says, clearly put out by the request.

"That would be OK," I say. "Can I give you my phone num..."

"I have it on caller ID," she cuts in.

"Well, can I give you my nam..." CLICK! "Hello,...hello?"

So she hung up and never called back, as you might guess.

SO HERE'S MY POINT: This is a person who is not great with customers, and that may just be because she's cashing out and heading for the door. Maybe she once did care. But now, she is killing any good will that the business may have, which the new owner probably cares very much about. So, if I were the buyer, I'd be demanding a deep discount on the sale price, because this type of rude, unprofessional service will lose customers for the business, and they won't care that it's under new ownership next spring when they're shopping for plants and steer manure.

The Adventure Conservancy

Straight forward and honest nursery staff. They only carry what grows up here. Their highly knowledgeable staff gave me ideas making my garden amazing!!

william smedley