Bailey Banks & Biddle

The place is gone and out of business, but I just had to mention this.
My father purchased a Zenith watch from the Austin location and they had already run out of watch winders to include. So, I called the one in San Antonio to see if they might have one they could pick up (they were going to be in town). Here is the phone conversation that took place in the middle of the day, mind you:
Woman: «Bailey Banks and Biddle.»
Me: ‘Hi there, my dad purchased a watch at the Austin location and they were out of watch winders, did you…“
Woman: «We’re already closed for business sir.»
Me: «What? At 2:00? I wanted to see if we could stop by…
[raising her voice] Woman: «Sir, no! No! We are already closed, I told you that! We are out of business! Goodbye!
Me: «OK, OK! Alright! Jesus, you answered the…»
*click*
Five minutes later I call back.
Woman: «Bailey Banks and Biddle.»
Me: «I need to speak with a manager please.»
Woman: «I am the manager.»
Me: I have one question: If the store no longer exists, why are you answering the phone?
Satan’s Mistress [screeching]: I already told you we’re closed!!!
Me: Uh, that didn’t answer my question. You can’t talk to people that way, even if you are going out of business. Who the hell do you think you are?!
*click*
Bitch.

Wow, I’ve never been treated as poorly as at this store.
I don’t suppose you knew this, but this chain is going out of business, closing more than half of their stores and filing bankruptcy. I didn’t know that either.
My story is a long one and too boring to be told in full here. Just know that caveat emptor applies to this store especially.
Have you ever purchased something and you were told it was new and then found out later on that it was used?
Well, Bailey Banks & Biddle ran this scam on me… twice. When thousands of dollars are at stake and you trust the people you are dealing across the table with, and then they stick it to you, as BBB did to me, you’ll understand where I’m coming from.
Don’t buy ANYTHING from this store unless you …
a) Don’t listen to a word the salespeople say.
b) ONLY read the fine print on what you are buying. That includes the front and the back of their poorly printed receipts before you sign. They put on a good show, but their word means nothing. Especially the managers. Shame on you, Bailey Banks and Biddle.
c) Don’t ever buy anything on sale where the salesperson claims it is NEW. Most likely, due to their (some might say, illegal) business tactics, the items they are selling are returns, or used, like mine were.
For those that care, here’s my story.
1. Bought a high end swiss watch on sale, supposably getting about 40% off the retail price. Thought I got a great deal. Got the watch home, only to find out that it was USED (not new) and missing warranty and certification papers. Didn’t like being told it was new at the store to find this out. Had to be a mistake, right?
2. Took the watch back to San Antonio and was told NO REFUNDS. ALL SALES FINAL, but you can trade it in toward a different watch. Hmmmm, I say. OK, maybe I’ll have better luck. But then I asked the manager a question, is it new this time? «Yes», she assured me. It is absolutely brand new. Never been out of the box… only to find out after the fact that this watch was USED too. So, I complain. I mean, you would too, right? They say… ALL SALES FINAL. Nothing we can do.
As I said, fool me once… shame, shame shame. Now they’ve run the same scam twice.
The net-​net is don’t ever trust a salesperson at this Bailey Banks and Biddle store. So the moral of this review is BE CAREFUL.
If you were me, knowing what I know now, you’d shop elsewhere ignoring the 50% off signs.
I hate writing a bad review but others need to know in order for this not to happen to you.
For me, it’s Travis County courts. I hope you fare better.

Okay, okay. I’m spoiled. I get it. And living in Houston hasn’t helped. The BBB that we have in the Houston Galleria is amazing and not the norm. It is large and spacious and has a large collection of watches. Not so with this store.
When I go into a fine jewelery store, I expect great service. Fabulous service. Clean glass without fingerprints. Watches facing the correct way. This store tries, but falls short in many ways. Their employees are friendly enough, but not very well educated in their products. We knew more about some of their lines than they did – but we’re nerds like that.
We were there during their gem vault sale and it was pretty disappointing. The collection was small, it wasn’t «done up» so that you could see where their normal lines ended and where this special group started, and they didn’t even bother to try and sell it. It seemed odd that a jewelery company, with a special going on wouldn’t even mention it to potential clients.
We’re watch whores, so we automatically go to the watches at each store we stop in. And even though I knew that the BBB in Houston was famous for the variety and collection of fine watches, I didn’t think that meant their other stores would carry next to nothing. I believe they had three cases of watches (the Houston store has a whole section with around 13 cases of just watches) and they were all generic, easy to find pieces. Obviously the market is different. Perhaps they chalk it up to being right across the way from Tourneau, but the Houston store has Tourneau to deal with as well, but they didn’t back down.
If cookie cutter jewelery is what you’re looking for (or if you’re looking to get engaged), this is a pretty good place to start. They’re helpful to a certain point and they’ll treat you well. Just don’t expect a wealth of knowledge or a wide variety that isn’t mainstream.