The Great Room

I wish Unilocal would allow no stars in this case. Like many other reviewers here, I had the abysmal experience of ordering furniture, draperies, and other services from this horrible business, if you can even call it that. The owner, Marilyn, was so offensive and unprofessional and made every excuse in the book when she did shoddy work and failed to deliver my order after nearly a year. She basically stole money from me by failing to deliver what I ordered and never refunding me. She would write me an email and then contradict herself the very next day. On multiple occasions, I would wait hours for a delivery that never arrived.
Marilyn constantly told me that she worked on «multi million dollar homes,» but I then discovered that she had not even paid the fabricators to make my furniture or draperies. Meanwhile, she cashed my checks! I have no idea how this place continues to exist. On one of the many ill-​fated «delivery days,» nothing arrived. I called her to ask when the delivery was coming, and she had the audacity to tell me that it is the customer’s responsibility to remind her that a delivery date is approaching. What!!! Even after her daughter (and business partner) sent me email confirmation of the delivery date? She further claimed the design business is not a service industry. If selling custom made goods to people is not service based, I don’t know what is. The whole experience makes my blood boil.
Her daughter will be nice in the beginning and then stop returning your calls when things go south and nothing you paid for arrives when promised or even months after promised. Or perhaps you will be lucky like me and get items you never ordered in the first place after waiting for almost a year…
The reviews here sound like a broken record for a reason — your life will be made miserable by entering into any sort of agreement with this place. Luckily, I did not lose faith, and found many other wonderful people working in Los Angeles who were willing to deliver on their promises, and will not steal from you. Unfortunately, the people at Great Room don’t know how to treat others with respect or deliver goods after payment is made. Beware!

Omg! Looks like these people relocated and are still doing business. Please, please beware of the owners Marilyn and Alicia. No stars would be accurate. They are dishonest and deceitful people! Please read the other post carefully for your own good! I don’t know who Honest Abe could be.

I asked the lady behind the counter if the sofa’s were new or used and she copped an attitude with me. They had all these signs outside that said estate sale so I assumed they were used. So I asked about the estate sale signs and she copped an attitude with me again. What a worthless saleswoman. I was going to spend about a $ 1000 on one of there couches. Not after that.

I wish I could write a stronger review, since at the end of the day, their finished product was fairly good, and they have a nice selection of fabrics. I also had a nice interaction with the owner’s daughter, who helped us select fabrics and arrange our contract.
We were informed that it would take 7 days to reupholster 3 cushions. After 5 days, I called to confirm the status of my order, emphasizing that we had company arriving the following week. I received a message that there was a delay and that they would require another few days. The day of the anticipated completion, I called to confirm that our order was complete. The owner was terse, correcting my speech when I asked about the status. She informed me that there would be further delay until the end of week. After expressing my disappointment given the existing delay, she began screaming at me, threatening that she would not complete the order, and that they should haven’t agreed to complete it, given that they were backed up already. Then, she hung up on me!
She called back about 10 – 15 minutes later, saying «sorry» under her breath and promising to complete the order within 2 days. Long story short I didn’t get my cushions for another week.
Between our calls, I took a look at the Unilocal reviews. I have to say, I chose this establishment because it was local and independently-​owned. I regret not checking the reviews sooner.

My rating is an average over two separate experiences. The first was an excellent experience purchasing a custom couch. It was several years ago (at their old location in West LA) — but the whole process from designing the couch & picking the fabrics, to the delivery was outstanding. It was a no-​brainer to return to the Great Room when we were looking to create two more custom items.
My more recent experience has been similar to several of the other reviews on this site… In some ways, it’s been too bizarre to be true. The bottom line is I paid a hefty sum of money for fabric and a 60% deposit on labor for a two items and many weeks, many visits to the store, and many phone calls later, I am still waiting for a refund to post to my account. I’m now working directly with one of their «subcontractors» to actually get my items fabricated.
On the plus side (assuming I ever get the items…) I LOVE the fabric that I found here. They were very flexible giving us time at home with their amazing selection of fabrics — it took us several tries to settle in on something that we liked — but it’s been nothing but frustration ever since we bought the fabric.

The Great Room is the most unreliable, unprofessional, and incompetent business I have ever had the displeasure of doing business with. The sales staff consists of a mother & daughter who are each more rude and arrogant than the other. They have no conception of the definition of the word «ethical». Almost every word out of either their mouths is a lie, with each lie being less credible than the previous one. They have no conception of the meaning of the word «truth.» They make unfulfilled promises and have excuses for every problem and situation. They ran my credit card without my knowledge or consent. We placed an order for a couch, when at the time of the order, we were told that the delivery time would be approximately 6 weeks. After waiting for more than 3 months, we finally cancelled our order. When we went to the store to have the charges on our credit card reversed, we were still being given one excuse
after the other and at no time were the words «I’m sorry» ever uttered.
If you are in the market for any furniture, run, don’t walk, from The Great Room.

In response to those who may think the negative reviews must be wrong… I respect your opinion and glad you had a good experience with them. I was a real customer so please respect my opinion and experience as well. Don’t assume that just because you had a different experience than some, that the other reviews are bogus. It really was the worst retail experience I have ever had.

I don’t write reviews often but I had to step in on this one. I think the negative reviews for this store are probably unfair and inaccurate. The problem with reviews is people take advantage of that anonymity and don’t operate with integrity. Truth be told you never know what to believe: Great reviews could be written by the owner themselves or «friends»…and crappy reviews can be from competition.
Having said that let me now say this: I am a real customer. I purchased my couch from them 9 years ago when they were at their different location. They are professional, family owned and really know their stuff. In addition to that they wer, and continue to be EXTREMELY PATIENT. I am a pain in the neck customer because I take a LONG time to make up my mind! I’m embarrassed to say I was there about 8 times before I made up my mind and they’ve ALWAYS been patient and NEVER have pressured me. I’m now looking for another couch, have been back there 4 times or so and they still treat me the same.
Also my parents have been using them for YEARS and have done 2 homes for them as well. Marilyn or Alicia are a mother/​daughter team and will take care of you. Give them a try-​whatya got to lose? It’s only a trip to a furniture store. You’re not replacing a kidney.

Their customer service is abysmal. I went in to get some cushions replaced for my couch — a couch I bought from them by the way — and they have no record of my purchase, can’t tell me what sofa I have, wouldn’t do it unless I give up my current cushions for several weeks and treated me like I was a nuisance to them for even asking. I said I had a photo, I bought the same couch with even the same material they used to have by the front door of their old showroom, I brought a pillow to show them the fabric — Still they had no interest in solving my problem. I’m actually sort of okay with their logic but they just acted like such jerks in their communication with me. The one lady even said they had plenty of business already insinuating they didn’t need mine. Fine — they wouldn’t get it ever again. Funny because I intended on ordering 2 side chairs to match my couch. I guess I’ll find chairs somewhere else. Oh yeah and my husband says he remembers them being jerks the first time around too so their bad customer service must not be a fluke.

Their ad in the Times said they could «copy any style, size and fabric of quality sofas, chairs & sectionals… can make any style bedframe… design and build custom dining tables, chairs, coffee tables… faster and more economical than other quality furniture stores.» I took in a very simple teak Danish-​style dining chair which I wanted copied (or even reasonably similar, I didn’t need an exact copy). When we finally got the saleswoman’s attention, she said «right now we don’t have anyone who could do that,» but «six months ago» they could have; but even then, it would have cost at least $ 1200 per chair. I thought their ad was deceptive — why claim you can make custom pieces if you can’t? Do they think people who want custom furniture will buy off-​the-​floor pieces if they can’t get what they want? I would have given them no stars if possible. Don’t waste your time.

My encounter on the salesroom floor was professional and very direct. I appreciate that. Their response to questions via email was also timely and efficient.
I’m not sure what previous reviewers were expecting, but this is not Ikea. Their prices are right in the ballpark for custom re-​upholstery. I have three separate quotes for my project and their response was the «cleanest». They will get the job… I’ll post once it is finished.

I posted this on their old address by mistake — my original review:
Ugg. Not good at all. Walked around for like 20 minutes, no one bothered to talk to me. I felt stupid and like they didnt take me seriously because I am young.
Finally a women did talk to me, but it was weird. I asked her what was on sale, and she said everything. I asked if they made things custom, was that on sale? she said yes. I said if I am working with a designer, do I get a discount? she said yes. I asked if I could combine the discounts, she said um sure.
so either this place is the best deal in LA or this lady wasnt really serious about helping me. i’m thinking the latter because even the sale price was high.
their sofas were okay but I just get the feeling they are clearing out pieces they dont want/​a clearance center vs the nice showroom they used to have on Olympic (they are on lincoln now)
I’d stear clear, they dont seem to take people seriously or offer much of a «deal», even if thats their angle.

Well worth the wait. Great chair and ottoman
just delivered and we love it. Yes, it was weeks after we thought it would be done — but
what a GREAT PRICE and excellent quality.
Just following up.