I want to give a shout out to Stabi Dave's bait & tackle for their exceptional customer service, commitment to our community, and honestly for saving a couple of my trips in recent weeks.
First a little background; Like many of you I have had trouble coordinating with community ice's new by appointment only policy. Second community ice also recently had their blower break down so loading ice was an additional problem if and when you could get an appointment. I am also still working 40 hours + a week, and trying to do all the veteran trips I can, this makes for some very late arrivals to town considering I live about 2.5 hours away. Well StabiDaves to the rescue!
The story; Most recently I was in town for the weekend tuna runs. I tried to call C.I. and when I finally got ahold of someone, a very nice older gentlemen name of Bill, who took time out of his convalescence to return my call, I found out their blower was down, and the phone system had been unusually difficult lately. Ok, not a problem, call Stabi Dave's. I called Chris about 1630 that Thursday asking to reserve a tote of ice, makes it cheaper and I don't buy all the ice they've got up for grabs. Well no real surprise all their ice has been reserved and they're working as fast as they can to produce more. Chris was very apologetic but I told him I get it, beautiful ocean after weeks of no fishing, a great weekend forcast and tuna in range, not surprised all their ice was taken, especially the day before I was going to get into town. I thanked Chris for his time and hung up contemplating where I'd get my ice as I had a slip for the weekend and was planning on running back to back tuna trips with veterans, one whose 50th birthday was Sunday. Do I run to Depoe? Do I bite bite the bullet and buy bag ice at Costco or Freddy's?
Fast forward to Thursday evening. I get home about 1830, as I'm unlocking my gate my phone rings. Says "Stabi Dave's" odd, since I know they close at 1800. "Hello?" It's Chris. "Hey Levi" he says, "we've been working non stop and we've been able to get you a tote of ice made up if you still need it for tomorrow" no way! Thank you Chris! Not only for getting ice made, but for calling me back, after hours, 4.5 hours after I'd called about getting ice way later than anyone had any right to expect to get any. I'll absolutely take the ice, thank you very much! (Now I get to be an a$$hole, I think) Soooo, I know you close at 1800, but I probably won't be in town until after that, could you leave the I've out and i can slip the money under the door or something? (Boy I'm a tool I'm thinking, here's this guy, small business owner, staying late, making ice so i can go have fun, and now I'm asking for special accommodations) He says that's fine, and they're just happy to help. Then he asks how late. "1830-1900 I'd guess" I tell him. Chris says that's fine, he'll probably still be there anyway. Now I'm doing math, they open at 0400, he's meeting me possibly as late as 1900, that's 15 hours of open time! That's nuts unless you're a gas station or a 7/11!
Ok so Friday night I make better time than expected and get to Stabi Dave's about 1830, sure enough, there's Chris, shop fully open, customers inside, my tote of ice waiting in the lot. He greets me by name like I'm there during normal hours and he hasn't just saved my trip because I didn't plan around I've like a schmuck. Not only that, but he REMEMBERS from a few weeks ago I asked if he'd ever found some 4" clones as I was down to my last 2. Got a couple that might work for you, as he pulls a pair from under the counter. Who has service like that?! Then he insists on helping LOAD my ice, thankfully I was able to provide my own couple guys so Chris could continue being a character from Norman Rockwell painting!
People don't work 15+ hours, know their customers by name, open before 0400 so guys can still get on the water in time, return calls after hours, remembers your name, remembers something mentioned in passing by a customer 2 weeks earlier AND does something about it for the next time that customer comes in, even remembering the right guy! Thank you Chris, thank you Stabi Dave's bait & tackle. Thank you all the good people proving that there's still some who truly care about their customers!
First a little background; Like many of you I have had trouble coordinating with community ice's new by appointment only policy. Second community ice also recently had their blower break down so loading ice was an additional problem if and when you could get an appointment. I am also still working 40 hours + a week, and trying to do all the veteran trips I can, this makes for some very late arrivals to town considering I live about 2.5 hours away. Well StabiDaves to the rescue!
The story; Most recently I was in town for the weekend tuna runs. I tried to call C.I. and when I finally got ahold of someone, a very nice older gentlemen name of Bill, who took time out of his convalescence to return my call, I found out their blower was down, and the phone system had been unusually difficult lately. Ok, not a problem, call Stabi Dave's. I called Chris about 1630 that Thursday asking to reserve a tote of ice, makes it cheaper and I don't buy all the ice they've got up for grabs. Well no real surprise all their ice has been reserved and they're working as fast as they can to produce more. Chris was very apologetic but I told him I get it, beautiful ocean after weeks of no fishing, a great weekend forcast and tuna in range, not surprised all their ice was taken, especially the day before I was going to get into town. I thanked Chris for his time and hung up contemplating where I'd get my ice as I had a slip for the weekend and was planning on running back to back tuna trips with veterans, one whose 50th birthday was Sunday. Do I run to Depoe? Do I bite bite the bullet and buy bag ice at Costco or Freddy's?
Fast forward to Thursday evening. I get home about 1830, as I'm unlocking my gate my phone rings. Says "Stabi Dave's" odd, since I know they close at 1800. "Hello?" It's Chris. "Hey Levi" he says, "we've been working non stop and we've been able to get you a tote of ice made up if you still need it for tomorrow" no way! Thank you Chris! Not only for getting ice made, but for calling me back, after hours, 4.5 hours after I'd called about getting ice way later than anyone had any right to expect to get any. I'll absolutely take the ice, thank you very much! (Now I get to be an a$$hole, I think) Soooo, I know you close at 1800, but I probably won't be in town until after that, could you leave the I've out and i can slip the money under the door or something? (Boy I'm a tool I'm thinking, here's this guy, small business owner, staying late, making ice so i can go have fun, and now I'm asking for special accommodations) He says that's fine, and they're just happy to help. Then he asks how late. "1830-1900 I'd guess" I tell him. Chris says that's fine, he'll probably still be there anyway. Now I'm doing math, they open at 0400, he's meeting me possibly as late as 1900, that's 15 hours of open time! That's nuts unless you're a gas station or a 7/11!
Ok so Friday night I make better time than expected and get to Stabi Dave's about 1830, sure enough, there's Chris, shop fully open, customers inside, my tote of ice waiting in the lot. He greets me by name like I'm there during normal hours and he hasn't just saved my trip because I didn't plan around I've like a schmuck. Not only that, but he REMEMBERS from a few weeks ago I asked if he'd ever found some 4" clones as I was down to my last 2. Got a couple that might work for you, as he pulls a pair from under the counter. Who has service like that?! Then he insists on helping LOAD my ice, thankfully I was able to provide my own couple guys so Chris could continue being a character from Norman Rockwell painting!
People don't work 15+ hours, know their customers by name, open before 0400 so guys can still get on the water in time, return calls after hours, remembers your name, remembers something mentioned in passing by a customer 2 weeks earlier AND does something about it for the next time that customer comes in, even remembering the right guy! Thank you Chris, thank you Stabi Dave's bait & tackle. Thank you all the good people proving that there's still some who truly care about their customers!
