Looksmart Alterations

I went in to Looksmart Alternations in Chatswood Chase on a Wednesday morning with a bridesmaid dress that needed to be taken up and in.
This place knows how to charge.
I was happy to pay what my friends consider to be unreasonable, because I felt secure leaving my bridesmaid dress there. I was told I could collect it four days later, on Sunday at 1pm. It was cutting things pretty close for me, but I paid the $ 229, watched the lady write down the time of my appointment on Sunday, and left.
This place doesn’t know how to do all the stuff that comes after they charge you.
I turned up on Sunday and was told that they hadn’t even started because the dress had been «hung somewhere where they couldn’t see it». I asked when it would be ready and they informed me that they didn’t want to rush it, so I should come back on Monday at 12.
The work they did was adequate. I really have no complaints about the sewing.
But when I asked if I could be partially refunded, given that I had been inconvenienced and had missed a wedding rehearsal with my dress, you could have cut the air with a knife.
I was refunded $ 54 dollars or so (the cost of adjusting one strap on the dress) and the lady turned her back on me as I was saying «Have a good day». It left a pretty bad taste in my mouth, to be honest.

With a name like LookSmart, I get that you’d want a pretty nice shopfront, but this Chatswood Chase store takes things to a whole new level. It’s positively palatial! I suppose that’s reassuring when you wander in there clutching your newly purchased designer ware — something that might just need a nip and tuck to achieve complete sartorial perfection.
On the other hand, such plush surrounds might be potentially concerning — just how much will I have to pay for these alterations?!
Fortunately the staff are all lovely, helpful and most importantly, they have a magical ability not to stick you with all the pins they are putting in your garment! The storefront is very fitting given the Chatswood Chase local, but thankfully their careful and detailed work speaks for itself.