Houston Garden Centers – You Have Unhappy Customers!
Posted on June 2, 2008
Filed Under Consumer Protection | 16 Comments
Earlier this Spring I redesigned my landscaping around my home. Not only did I pull up the existing beds, I put more in. I usually get my plants and landscaping supplies at Lowes, Home Depot or Wal-Mart because they have good prices and a money back guarantee. However, I couldn’t find everything I needed there so I took my first trip to Houston Garden Centers location in Conroe at 1488. I have to tell you, I couldn’t have been more displeased with this Houston Garden Centers location if I’d tried!
First off, apparently everyone who works there speaks very little, if any, English. I’ll have to get my info at Houston Lawn and Garden from now on I guess. I have to tell ya, I was very leery of paying these people with a credit card. The entire time I was there and asking questions, I don’t think 10 words of English were spoken to me. I might as well have been banging my head against the wall.
The girl checking me out could only mutter what my total was. If it hadn’t been for her pointing at the total on the digital readout of the cash register, I would have had to ask over and over again.
At first, I thought this problem may have only been at this Houston Garden Centers location. So on my next trip into town to get more landscaping supplies, I went to the Houston Garden Centers location in Spring off of I-45. They did have a lot better selection than the Conroe location, which I appreciated. However, the staff could have been a cloned copy of the Conroe location. Very unfriendly and none could hardly speak any English. When I checked out, the girl never even made an attempt to smile or talk. She just turned the digital readout around and pointed to my total. A real gem of a salesperson!
I made several more trips back to both Houston Garden Centers locations to get some specialty plants that I wanted. But when it came down to supplies I knew I could get elsewhere, I didn’t hesitate to go someplace else.
I thought about posting a blog post at that time, but figured I was the only one who had that problem. I don’t buy a huge amount of gardening supplies, so I figured perhaps it was just me.
Others Have Complaints About Houston Garden Centers
Tonight, as I was searching for a news topic in Conroe, I ran across this message board that has over 120 comments on Houston Garden Centers and most of the comments are aimed at the Conroe location. Of course, this is a Conroe forum so that only makes sense. In good faith, I searched other Houston area forums and found many people with the same complaints I had with Houston Garden Center. Poor service, non-existent customer service and non-English speaking staff.
One of the things that really tick me off is their print ads and TV ads featuring Kim. We all know Kim as a pretty blonde haired English speaking spokesperson for Houston Garden Centers. You’d think Kim worked at every locations the way she talks. After my experience, I’m wondering if Kim works for Houston Garden Center at all! I figured she was a Actress, but I’d like to think someone that speaks English actually does work there. Since my experience this Spring, I’ve visited a few other locations and haven’t found anyone resembling Kim working there. They’re more like Shipley Do-Nut employees!
I don’t mind paying more for quality products or services. But if I have to pay more and keep enduring bad customer service, I’ll go elsewhere.
I prefer to shop local business’s when I can. Normally the small family run business’s have better customer service and product knowledge than franchises or box stores. However, for some things you just can’t find a local family run business. If someone knows a good nursery in the Conroe – Woodlands – Spring area, drop me a comment and let me know.
Until then, I refuse to keep giving my money to Houston Garden Centers as long as they insist on keeping non-English speaking, rude associates who apparently have no knowledge of what they’re selling. Am I over reacting? Drop a comment and let me know ’cause it sure doesn’t feel that way!
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16 Responses to “Houston Garden Centers – You Have Unhappy Customers!”
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I own a garden center on 249 south of Tomball. My brother owns one on Louetta near Kuykendahl in Spring. They are both called Plants For All Seasons. Plantsforallseasons.com I know of a nursery in Willis. Growers Outlet. Any or all of us would provide a more pleasant gardening experience for you.
By the way Kim Hooper is the owners daughter. Trust me when I say that your observations touched only the floating scum in a deep cesspool.
Hi Victor,
Thanks for dropping me a note. Next time I need some plants or gardening supplies, I’ll be sure to stop by your Louetta and Kuykendahl place. It’s a little out of the way, but I’d rather drive a little further and get good service with knowledgeable associates than put up with what I do when I go to Houston Garden Centers.
By the way, I’ll go ahead and give the other readers a live link to your site: Click here to visit Plants For All Seasons
Hello!
I lived in Spring/Klein for 10 years and purchased all of my plants from Plants For All Seasons. Not only do they have excellent quality and variety but their customer service is great! I moved to Lake Conroe and shopped at Houston Garden Center in Conroe ONCE. That was enough. I didn’t really mind that the employees didn’t speak English…however I did mind that their plants are VERY EXPENSIVE, they offer no warranty, and you can’t even exchange them or return them with a receipt…unused! Furthermore, they advertise great sales and the sale prices are the same price at other stores. Even Home Depot is cheaper! I was not impressed.
I love houston garden center. Get a life people!
I had the same awful experience:
1.NO English or attempt to speak English
2.NO help
3.prices are 50% off already high prices
4. Corporate office tells you the locations don’t answer their phones and there is no one to talk to if you have a question about a plant you purchased from them.
Mr. Matt Hooper & and his daughter Kim Hooper are probably providing wholesale services to non English speaking landscapers (who probably work there part time)and provide secondary retail service to the general public without decent customer service. That is why the service is bad.
Maybe INS should investigate the Hoopers to see if they hiring undocumented workers.
In my opinion, they should advertise:
NO customer service & Buy at your own risk.
at least customers would know their angle. But they would probably go out of business if they did that.
THIS IS AND WAS THE FIRST AND LAST TIME I SPEND MY MONEY WITH THEM.
Well Matt Hooper DOes hirer undocumented worker. If they give him a ID and a SSN# that is all he is worried about. He does not check to make sure they are real or not. I know this for a fact. I can tell you this also. He does not pay them over time. They are paid a hr rate and that is it. He has been known to not give them their checks if he had to fire them. He does everything he can to get over on people. Most of the local whole sale nurserys will not do business with him.
Matt Hooper likes to use his size to scare people. He screams and yells at his employees. Anyone that does business with him is supporting these things. I do not understand why anyone would purchase anything from him when you can go to Lowes or Homedepot and get everything a lot cheaper. If the plants die within a certian amount of time you can return them. With HGC once you purchase the plants that is it they are yours dead or alive.
If you look up Matt Hooper record you will see he does not have a good past either.
If know one beleives me just drive out to one of the growinf grounds and you will see lots of undocumented workers.
There is a lot more to be told about Matt Hooper and they are not good things. I will say this if he thinks he can rip someone off and half way get away with it he will and that is a fact jack.
I live in League City and am glad I found this blog. I have been wanting to vent on my experiance at HGC for some time. I purchased a 10# bag of Ironite from them for $15. I later discovered that a 10# and 20# bag of Ironite at Lowes was $12 and $18 respectively. I felt violated! I was aware of their no return policy, but since this was a bagged product and had never been opened, I thought surely there would be exceptions. I would be incorrect. The Hispanic gentleman, albeit polite, said “No can do”, that I would have to contact corporate and gave me the phone no.
Here’s where the fun began. I told the lady that answers the phone my situation and asked if I could talk to who handles these complaints. I was told she handles these things and said “We have a no return, no exchange policy”. I explained the price difference between them and Lowes, and her answer was that “We aren’t Lowes.” So for the rest of our conversation, her answers to everything I said was either “We have a no return, no exchange policy” or “We aren’t Lowes.” When asked if there was anyone else I could talk to the answer was “No.” My BP was about 220/110.
While I will not shop there any longer, my wife has pretty much stopped; only on my insistance. I will admit,however, that in the Fall when things are 70% off you can sometimes find some deals on some specialty items.
As far as the employees go, it is identical at the League City and Webster stores.
Thanks for letting me vent.
FYI, I went to HGC in Conroe last weekend. And nothing has changed. I asked a guy (Hispanic) about a plant i was looking at and he looked at me like he had no idea what i was talking about. And I speak Spanish!!!! This guy wasn’t qualified to water the plants. Coming to see you next week Victor! If you need trees we went to US Trees in Willis. David was great!!
I purchased some plants, fertilizer and Azalea soil from the Houston Garden Center on South Hwy 6 on Friday, 03-19-2010. I have to say that I received the worst customer services ever. Not only were the associates rude, but the manager had the ugliest demeanor I have ever experienced. This is definitely my trip to this poor excuse for a garden center. I hope everyone spreads the word and we can put these people out of business.
I had the same terrible experience with the Houston Garden Centers. Not only was there nobody to speak English to help. While I was inside shopping they knocked some large Palm trees over onto my truck and refused to pay for the damages. I am in the middle of legal action to get reimbursed for the damages. I had no idea there were such ruthless retail firms around still.
I cant believe people actually shop at these stores.
I can’t believe this. What kind of caompany gives you no way to contact them? One who is hiding from unhappy customers. I was treated very rudely by the manager at the HGC at Hwy 6 & Old Richmond. That’s after I could find him. No one wanted to let me see him. Then when he did come out, he was soooo rude. I was questioning a price. The sticker on the pot clearly said $4.99. The cashier told me they were $9.99. I said that the pot was marked $4.99 and that’s what I should pay for it. The manager jerked it off of my cart and said “It’s not for sale — you wanna go get another one?” — then stormed off. I completed my transaction and then asked for the manager’s name. No one could (or would) tell me. Finally someone agreed to goget him again. He refused to come back out, but sent a note with ‘Keith’ written on it. I have done business with HGC for years — but I won’t anymore.
I purchased a plant two days ago and before i can get it into the ground it’s starting to die. I called the corporate office and asked if i could take it back for an exchange and I was told no. I spent 30 dollars for a plant and not allowed to exchange it. This is the first plant store thai’ve visisted that doesn’t do exchanges. i willcontinue to shop at cornelius nursery, loew’s and home depot. when i called the corporate office the lady that answers the phone over there has a horrible/nasty attitude.
Learn Spanish. I worked in a 4-star hotel/restaurant and most employees spoke 2-7 languages. Your complaints come from a state that has had hundreds of years of bilingual residents. I am ashamed of you.
My wife had the exact same experience the other day at the 290 and Barker Cypress location. The lady who was checking her out didn’t speak ANY English, so she talked to the lady across the way who spoke VERY limited English. When my wife asked her a question, and asked for her to clarify her response, the checkout lady clarified by rolling her eyes at my wife.
Will not be shopping there anymore. There are a lot of choices in Houston for cheap plants/mulch, etc. Heck! I will pay more for someone who I can ask questions of, and courteous service ANYDAY.
Goodbye Houston Garden Center…no comprendo rude non-English speaking employees.
I just drove in from Austin, and needed 2 plants badly. I had the same experience at 290W in Cypress. I saw her commercial this morning and had to get online. I am appauled that this is at all stores and that this is allowed.
Would anyone have the corprate office number to houston Garden Center?