Yeah, ok, still working on the whole sell my condo/buy a house thing. And one thing I really have to do is recarpet the condo. I should have recarpeted when I moved in about 12 years ago -- the carpet still has paw-prints from the previous owner's dog. Add in whatever I've done to it (not to mention the, y'know, cat barf) and this carpet is long past its useful life.
So I asked my real estate agents for a recommendation. And my agent recommended T.H. (for reasons I don't entirely understand, I'm actually preserving his privacy here). T.H. owns a carpet store nearby (a small, family operation), and is also a client of my agents. They even gave me T.H.'s phone number.
Okey doke. I wanted to go out to T.H.'s store that Saturday, but things got ahead of me and I didn't have time to go until after it had closed. I saw my agents the next morning and mentioned that I was on my way to T.H.'s store. They called T.H. He said the store was closed that day, but he'd be happy to send someone over to open it. I didn't want anyone to go out of their way to open a store just for little old me, so I told them I'd just go the next weekend.
The next Saturday, I went to the shop. It was nice and brightly lit and there was loads of carpet in there, but the door was closed. The little sensor rang a bell while I stood outside the store, but after about 10 minutes of making the bell ring, I left. The store had a sign that said "Open Sundays" in the window, so I figured I'd go back the next day.
Came back on Sunday for a repeat performance of Saturday. Stand outside door; set off bell; nothing happens.
Monday, I started regretting not making him open the store for me when he'd offered. I figured it was time to call the guy. I called. Got his voice mail. Said I'd tried to go the store over the weekend and it wasn't open and I'd really like it to be open so I could y'know, buy carpet.
Twenty minutes later, I got a voice mail back, although it wasn't from T.H. It was from his other family business -- one that does construction. I called them back. They were on the other line, so asked if they could call me back in 15 minutes. I said sure.
'bout an hour and a half later, they called back. The receptionist-type person (who did not apologize for the delay in returning my call) said she was trying to arrange an appointment for T.H. to come to my home. I explained that I didn't need him to come to my home -- I just wanted to get into his store. I told her I'd tried to go on Saturday -- she said that sometimes they're so busy with construction, they don't have anyone to open the carpet store. I said I'd tried to go on Sunday, too -- she said they're never open on Sundays and that they "really ought to take that sign down," a sentiment with which I agreed. I asked when someone actually would be in the store. She said Tuesday 10-6. I explained I could not be there between 10 and 6 on Tuesday, what with my day job and all. I asked if someone would be there on the upcoming Saturday. She said there would. I asked if she was sure. She promised the store would be open on Saturday.
Today is Saturday. I had the whole week to stew and I decided that I didn't really want to deal with T.H. -- it shouldn't take that long to buy carpeting. I researched other carpet shops and found another decent one a couple doors down from T.H.'s.
So, this morning, I happily drive over to the other carpet shop. It's open! I explain to the carpet guy exactly what I need. (Since I'm reselling, it has to be reasonably inexpensive; since I have a cat, it has to have a relatively tight weave and stain resistance.) The carpet guy then directs me to the Super Duper Platinum Plus Stain Protected Carpet, which must be, like, $50 a square yard or something. I remind him of the whole "selling place soon" thing and ask for a cheaper carpet. He reluctantly goes to the back of the store and comes up with the "lesser grade" stuff at $27. I balk at that price, and he digs out a sample of $21 carpet, which he treats with such disdain you'd think I was asking him to sell me dog poo.
I leave. On a lark, I figure I'll go to T.H.'s shop -- seeing as they'd sworn someone would be there today.
Door locked. Bell Ringing. Nobody Home.
.... finally went to Home Depot, where we came up with a nice mid-grade carpet for a reasonable price.
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