Lina K.'s Profile

Updating my review after having been in the area for awhile.  While the building is charming, I have to add some very objective and important negative factors to my review:

1.  Street noise has become increasingly unbearable due to the opening of a garage across the street and the constant sirens up and down Walnut St has become a real issue for me.

2.  Rent is way out of line for the market.  I have discovered that I am paying at least $200 more a month for a one bedroom vs. friends who are renting 2-3 bedroom multi-level townhouses with stainless kitchens and multiple modern baths.  Cabinetry is horrible in both kitchen and bathroom.  Appliances and flooring is very dated; carpet is cheap.

3.  Space is getting to be an issue and I was even cited by building management for 'clutter' in my apartment during a routine filter change.  With only 890 sq. ft. and expensive rent, I tell all newcomers to Harrisburg to save time and money by looking at townhouse options first if they are looking for the loft experience.

4.  Parking is an additional $85 / mo.

In retrospect, not a bad place to launch in Harrisburg, but I now understand why most people stay here short term.

HORRIBLE Consignment Experience.  Avoid selling here like the plague if you have any high value items.  Unfortunately, after the fact, I spoke to a friend who had a similar unsatisfactory experience with Hello Gorgeous.

This was my first Consignment experience and definitely, my last.  Hello Gorgeous listed itself as an upscale shop but actually has a very small  'designer' section.  The telltale sign was the increasingly large amount of counterfeit designer bags I saw on the floor today.   No true upscale consignor would ever sell knock off Louis Vuittons, Gucci's and the like.  Central PA is a long ways off from Fifth Avenue but I did expect a little integrity in a smaller town.

I had brought in a small variety of high end clothing and shoes.  I explained to the 'Manager' that I might have to come back from out of state to pick up items that weren't sold, so timing might be an issue.  She said that some items may be held over for a longer period of the 60 days, at the store's discretion.  Otherwise, she said they could be 'flexible'.  

I paid $5 for a contract and asked 3x for a detailed receipt of items left; my requests were brushed off.  I finally wrote down the items I left on a piece of paper and told her that I would use that to keep track of my items.

I returned from NJ last night and found my consignor card a few days after the expiration period but wasn't distressed since the 'Manager' had originally said Hello Gorgeous would be flexible when I explained I was trying to relocate to NJ.   So when I called in to find out if I could pick up my stuff after the expiration date, I actually expected flexibility.

WRONG!

Spoke to a girl named Kayla who said my stuff was pulled and probably still in the back of the store.  I asked if I could come pick it up and she replied it was now the property of the store.  I asked her to take a look and ask the Manager (who I had signed the contract with) to see if they could make an exception as I had driven 150 miles to take care of personal matters in Harrisburg.  She was very snippy and told me that SHE was the Manager; she wouldn't give me the name of the other woman I spoke to and at that point, I said, just see what you can do and they promised a call back.

Got a call back from the owner, Donna, who said she could not bend rules for a number of her reasons.  Now suddenly, my items were no longer in back of store but donated to a church group.  

I understand that there are policies in place but very disappointed in how I was treated by staff and owner.  They were anything but friendly; in fact they were evasive, bordering on shady, and unhelpful when I tried to find ways to retrieve my items, including giving the church group a donation to get my things back.   There is a complete lack of communication with the consignors, which I suspect is done on purpose.

Frustrated, I asked her to mail me the check because to enter her store now would completely nauseate me.  Huge waste of time and money.    Show owner comment »