Oh Yes Chicago

I visited this store in late Spring just before the Pier got underway for the summer season.  It has lots of fun, touristy souvenirs and an area devoted specifically to pets - with very unique items.  However, buyer beware!!!  Don't let the bling and colors go to your head - especially if you do not live in Chicago and cannot return your item when it proves faulty.  I think if you read the labels on the items in the store, you will find most of them are cheaply mass produced in foreign countries and are not meant to last.  I did not.  I purchased a really cute dog collar with fake rhinestones.  It was pretty expensive, but seemed worth the splurge at the time.  My dog had worn the collar less than a week, however, when the rhinestones started to fall out, leaving very sharp empty metal grommets.  I was badly cut by one of them while day playing with my dog one day.  I live several thousand miles from Chicago, so had no other recourse but to try and contact the store by phone.  After 3 calls I finally connected with a manager who told me they had no refund policy, but I could exchange the collar for something else.  She would have to get an ok from someone higher up, though.  I also felt she was not exactly aware of how she might conduct this transaction over the phone and/or via mail, either.  Probably most people don't ever go to the trouble to contact them with a problem.  Nevertheless, she promised she would get back to me.  She did not.  I called several more times to try and reach her, but was unsuccessful.  I left detailed messages with everyone I spoke to on how I could be reached. I was never contacted by anyone.  I have finally given up trying - which I feel was their intended outcome.  This store caters to a tourist clientele that leaves the city and they bank on the fact no one will bother them with complaints about shoddy goods.  If they do, the store is pretty adept at dodging any sort of customer service.  This is a very unscrupulous business model and it really stinks.   They may think it will never catch up with them - but guess what . . . !!!!