What I Thought of It

London Drugs, Royal Oak Centre

Drugstores, Retail 1 Comment

London Drugs, Royal Oak Centre
#500 - 8888 Country Hills Blvd NW
Calgary AB T3G 5T4
Phone: 403 571 4968

This past summer, my mom had bought a tube of sunscreen and a tube of SPF lip balm from London Drugs. Afterwards, she realized that she still had plenty at home, but she had already thrown out the receipt. Since she hates dealing with customer service staff, she asked me to try and return her purchases without the receipt.

I went into the Royal Oak London Drugs expecting to be denied a refund or, at best, issued a store credit. To my surprise and delight, the return transaction was quick and hassle-free. Really! The customer service lady accepted my explanation for not having a receipt, and she gave me cash back (the amount was under $20).

Last thoughts: Given the rarity of decent customer service in Calgary businesses - due to employees who could care less - my experience at London Drugs was hugely refreshing. As a consumer, I would encourage other retailers to take note of this story. Nothing generates repeat business better than keeping your customers happy.

Service +++++

Wal-Mart, Brooks

Department Stores, Retail 2 Comments

Wal-Mart, Brooks
917 3rd Street W (see map)
Brooks AB T1R 1L5
Phone: 403 793 2111

Wal-Mart is one of my favorite stores to visit. They just seem to have everything I need for the prices I am willing to pay. This time, I was looking for some snacks to take on my car trip.

The Wal-Mart in Brooks is small, much smaller than the stores I’m used to seeing in Calgary. This of course means that they have fewer choices of products. The parking lot had a big poster advertising Great Value, the “no-name” brand sold at Wal-Mart stores, but I was disappointed to find very few Great Value items on the shelves.

The lack of no-name selection forced me to buy a more expensive brand, only to realize at the self-checkout that the display price had been wrong (the product actually cost 50 cents more).

Overall, this Wal-Mart was a mess. It reminded me of a convenience store, with too many products and not enough order, making it almost impossible to find anything or make your way through the store.

Last thoughts: I will still shop a lot at Wal-Mart, but if I ever return to the Wal-Mart in Brooks, I’ll be sure to price-check my purchases before going to the till.

Product Range ++
Service +++
Ambiance ++
Washrooms +++
Tidiness ++

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Zellers, Market Mall

Department Stores, Retail 1 Comment

Zellers, Market Mall
3625 Shaganappi Trail (see map)
Calgary AB T3A 0E6
Phone: 403 286 1621

This Zellers is in the Market Mall Shopping Centre in Calgary NW. Zellers has its own entrance from the outside as well as an entrance from the mall. In this case it means that Zellers often has longer hours than the mall.

Shopping at this Zellers is more of a burden than a pleasure. First of all, the store is just a big mess, with stuff everywhere in no particular order. Secondly, lots and lots and lots of products are priced wrong.

This Zellers store also looks pretty old-fashioned and could really use some updating. Luckily, Zellers offers a wide range of products, so when you shop here you don’t have to go to many other stores. That said, you of course expect them to have the products.

On my visit yesterday to the Market Mall Zellers, I was extremely disappointed with the gift wrap section. There was a measly selection of wrapping paper and gift bags, and what was there between the empty spaces was messy and disorganized.

Service at Zellers is not the best. To be fair, the staff are friendly, but when something goes wrong they get annoyed and flustered. At the checkout yesterday, three of my purchases scanned at the wrong price. When I pointed this out, they got defensive and tried to avoid giving me the lower price that I had seen on display. Of course, I wanted the display price, and this meant another exercise in patience while they confirmed and adjusted the prices.

Then I needed to use the washrooms. They were clean, but there was no soap and not a sheet of paper towel in any of the three dispensers.

Last thoughts: I shop at Zellers when they have good deals or something I really need right away. Otherwise I stay away from the Zellers in Market Mall. The messy merchandise and messed-up prices are just too frustrating.

Product Range ++++
Service +++
Ambiance ++
Washrooms ++

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Chicken Cottage, Calgary

Eating Out, Fast Food, Movies / TV, Retail 1 Comment

Chicken Cottage Canada Ltd.
#104, 100-2020 Sunridge Way NE (see map)
Calgary AB T1Y 7K7
Phone: 403 250 9804
www.chickencottage.ca

The first chicken Cottage in Canada This Chicken Cottage is located on Sunridge Way NE in Calgary. At this point in time, it’s tucked out of sight in an area that still needs to be developed. Calgary’s Chicken Cottage is the first one in Canada. It just opened, and I first learned of it from a big advertisement in the local Metro newspaper.

Chicken Cottage is basically another chicken restaurant, although they also offer fish, veggie and quarter-pounder burgers. If I interpret the signage correctly, then the food is prepared according to Halal standards, which is a nice bonus for Calgary’s Islamic population.

The ambiance was welcoming and the place was very clean. It wasn’t very busy, but there was a steady stream of customers, indicating that this Halal fast food chain is off to a good start in Calgary.

I got the Chicken Fillet Burger Meal that comes with fries and a drink. The burger was good, although my bun was cold, as if it just came out of the fridge. The bun was dressed with sauce and a piece of lettuce. The breaded chicken was a bit bland; I couldn’t taste any seasoning. On the plus side, it was not soaked in oil.

My fries came in a little paper bag, and this gave me more fries than I get at McDonald’s.

The service was great; the well-trained counter girl described all the menu options and even brought the food to my table.

The washroom was a pleasant surprise. I daresay it was nicer than my bathroom at home. It was nicely decorated and extremely clean; most restaurants can learn from this.

Last thoughts: The first Chicken Cottage in Canada is worth a visit. The food is good and seems to be fresher than what you get at most fast food places. The great service and ambiance also score big points with me.

The next time I’m in the neighborhood for lunch, Chicken Cottage will be high on the list.

Food ++++
Service ++++
Ambiance ++++
Washrooms +++++