Alexander’s Bead Bazaar

If I could give zero stars for this place I would.
I had been here once before and found the customer service non existent but figured I’d give it another try.
We went in today to browse but the energy is so dark and uncomfortable I find very little in there that compels me to buy it.
That being said the women in there must have thought we were cheap because they made some snide comment about us picking a stone out of the dollar bin (I wouldn’t want to give them any mor than a dollar of my business).
Additionally my husband took a picture of a nice array of stones in a bowl and was reprimanded and told no pictures. There is no sign saying no pictures, just another story designed to demean and make customers feel like an intrusive nuisance.
It’s impossible to put into words the bad juju in this place. The owner has the disposition of a Sith Lord and the woman behind the counter could only be described as vile.
Don’t go here. If you are spiritual and looking for incense or Buddhas or om signs– go to East West up the street. If you want beads go to Fusion. These people don’t deserve your business.

Great selection of beads and stones, a nice local bead shop with affordable prices. Only thing is that there was no greeting when I came in, the 3 women working there were just chatting away. When two more people got in the store they were greeted and asked if they needed help, I was still ignored even though I was there first. After a while of me starting at the wall I got approached. I asked for help and the lady was very helpful and friendly. Just though they need to pay a little more attention on their customers even when it’s slow. I came in to buy things and did have a question I came in with.
Still giving it 4 starts because the selection is great and the store is clean.

Customer service… there us none. Don’t go here… head north to BeadWorld.

This is an… interesting place…
For, at the time, our upcoming nuptials, I have a very clear image of the necklace I wanted to wear on our big day. Unfortunately, this was not something I could easily find in the shape, color and length I had wanted. So, being a crafty (ish) person that I am, I decided I would make my wedding necklace. Now all I had to do was find the supplies.
As the particular stone I had wanted was not something you come across in every bead store, I had called in prior to visiting to verify they had what I was looking for. To my sweet surprise, I was told they carried this stone (chrysoprase) in many shapes and sizes! I had been to & called quite a few bead stores at this point and was thrilled to finally go pick out my perfect stone. This ended up being easier said than done…
First: We walked in, and no one greeted us. A simple «hi, hello, welcome» would have been nice.
Second: We had walked around for at least five minutes before someone offered to help us. Now, to be clear, we came in ONLY for this stone. We really looked like we were looking for something, not simply browsing.
Third: Once we were helped, we were shown the stone only on a strand and was told that that was all they offered. One size, one shape, one option. Not what the lady on the phone had told me. Seeing as I only needed one stone, I couldn’t imagine paying 10x the amount. I kindly handed the strand back to the gentleman and said I would keep looking. HOWEVER, being the meticulous man that my then fiancé was, he spotted several single stones that looked like chrysoprase and asked what they were. They were exactly what I was looking for! In different sizes and for a fraction of the cost of a strand! We continued to browse the counter and found even more for me to choose from.
In the end, I left with what I came for. I had to deduct two starts for the lack of customer service… the guy didn’t even ask what I was making. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a bead store where they don’t ask… Yes, they do carry items that can be harder to find which does make them more desirable. However, due to the lack of customer service I don’t think I’ll be back.

I went in today looking for semi-​precious stones and sterling components, and now I remember why I stopped shopping here several years ago. The people who work in this shop are beyond unfriendly and completely unhelpful, almost blatantly rude. When I asked a brief question and got a sigh and a half eye-​roll, I left and went a couple miles away to Fusion beads, where I received awesome service and hands on help. I don’t care how great Alexander’s selection is, I won’t be back.

This store is a godsend! Beautiful selection, and what people are saying about the staff is so far off it’s ridiculous. I’m from New York and on my first day in Seattle I saw a Buddha head from the corner of my eye and rushed in. Now I was more in it for the gems and was hesitant to buy any beads but the woman helping me (new girl, crystal healer) taught me how to make a pendant right there. Also the female owner was doing the same to another customer and was really engaged as well. The woman helping me basically spent 2 hours with me helping me to the best of her ability (which was a lot because wow was she knowledgable) and even looked up some things for me that were more obscure. She even wrote out a guide for me of all the gems and beads I bought with names and type so I could learn more about them. Who gets service like that anymore? Also the stuff behind the glass may look daunting but the prices are INSANELY reasonable. This was the best experience I’ve ever had at a store like this, Sam wasn’t there that day and people seem to think he hovers too much or worries about you stealing, but in New York they take your bag before you shop and the cameras are pretty normal and expected because yea, you’re walking around in a big store and putting things in your pockets seems easy. Plus this stuff is fragile! So I think the staff should hover because they’re already giving you a steal.

I am extremely reluctant about giving bad reviews but the staff at this place deserve every bit of it. I wish there was the option of zero stars then i would have given it delightedly. I have never ever been treated this way in any store in my whole entire life. This place is ridiculous when it comes to treating customers. Please don’t expect any smiles when you go in because to them you are annoying customer who shouldn’t be here, at least that was the vibe i got from the owner of the store. He is extremely rude and even though the store has a great selection of beads, i will never ever go there again.
Really bad customer service. I went there with my husband, a friend and my four year old who happened to be napping in the stroller. Oh no stroller in the store! The look i got from the staff made me so uncomfortable that i just wanted to buy my incests and just get out. My son happened to wake up and touch one of the beads in a drawer and the owner literally flipped! He came rushing from the back store and gave us the most obnoxious look ever and told us no touching or something that i didn’t hear. Please dear sir you are selling beads that are going to be touched every now and then and if a 4 year old touched them you don’t have to flip. They are gemstones and as i recall it’s extremely hard to break them especially by a 4 year old.
You have to take some courses in customer service because dear sir the way we were treated was not acceptable on a human level or animal level for that matter.
Thanks for incests that i bought, unfortunately every time i light them to meditate i remember this visit to your store.

very very rude. unnecessarily paranoid.
if the man who owns the store found kind people to work there i would be right back for all those pretty things. but for now, I will keep myself happy by staying away. all my interactions there are negative.
i have only left one other negative review and that was for the DMV. yeah – that bad.

This place is owned by witches. The moment we walked in we felt their evil eyes on the back of our heads. They spoke VERY loudly about how they want to close early so they can make it to the pet store to buy cat food. They made passive aggressive comments the entire time about how we, their patrons who were having a blast searching for the perfect beads for our really cute necklaces, were ruining their lives. Every time we looked to them to help us, they were were caught rolling their eyes and whispering about us. As we were laughing with joy, one of the witches audibly sighed «this is painful». When we asked to see some beads behind the counter, one of them refused to get off her fat ass to assist and instead insinuated that we could not afford it. We are well dressed, professional women, so I do not understand what that was all about.
I wanted to throw my beads on the floor and walk right out the door! However, we are adults and really wanted to make pretty things today. They made us feel so bad each of us even apologized as we were wrapping up. Your store is open until 5:00, it is currently 4:30. Deal with it!
The jewelry we are making will forever be tainted :(

The last time I was in this store, I asked to see some pearls from behind the counter. It was almost as if I had asked to see an employee naked. I haven’t been back since. They had a good selection, but I have no interest in spending money at a store where I was treated so poorly.

Alexanders Bead Bazaar has the best selection in town hands down. That being said, this is a store that is great if you know what you are doing. I like coming here because I am left to look at leisure and I usually have zero questions. The staff and owners have always been nice to me, but I think if you want to be coddled this probably isn’t the best store for you. Most extensive and unusual, quality selection in Seattle.

I used to love the store and their selection of beads and ethnic jewelry, but can’t go back, they’re the rudest people I’ve met in Seattle. It felt like they were all bothered by costumers, why open a business then?

I went to Alexander’s for the first time yesterday and had a ball. The proprietors were helpful and conversational. There are only a handful of good bead shops in Seattle and they are all completely different in their offerings. Alexander’s offers the semi-​precious and stone beads I always look for. I love crystals (Swarovski), too, so I go to the other shops for those. I really don’t understand the previous, and very old, negative comments about Alexander’s. My experience was 180 degrees opposite so I suspect the negative reviews had a nefarious purpose.

The last time I came in here was the last time I will give these people money.
I’ve gone here several times, since I live just blocks away, and I’ve spent probably now hundreds of dollars of my hard-​earned cash on their middling selection of gems and beads. I don’t understand how you can have such horrible service, treat paying customers like they’re criminals, and still be in business. It seems like every time I go in this store, coincidentally the staff start whining about shoplifting and glancing in my direction. The nerve. Almost all of my friends who have shopped here that are under 30 have had similar experiences. It’s a wonder such blatant ageism and petty discrimination manages to have a leg to stand on. The clerk that I asked for assistance– a plump blonde woman, made it seem like I was pulling teeth and couldn’t be bothered to appear the least bit helpful or even smile. I asked if they had any other sizes of chips in the stone I was looking for, she told me no, didn’t offer alternatives or even offer to look– just no. Incidentally, I found the other size on my own about one isle over less than five minutes later. I asked if they had any other cuts of laboradite, and again, she told me no. Surprise, there’s an entire section of laboradite she couldn’t be bothered to show me behind the counter. The signage posted around the store is mean-​spirited and rude at best. All of the precious metals and gems are kept in cases, for good reason, but you can forget about asking them to pull anything out for you to look at– they’d rather duct-​tape your arm to the glass than let you touch anything. One reviewer even told them about their terrible feedback– their purported response amazed me. No one wants you to pay (last I checked, Unilocal and google were totally free) to have good reviews, Alexander’s– you earn those. By not being overgrown highschoolers. It’s pretty simple. Unfortunately, you couldn’t even manage that. I spend a lot of money on these sorts of things, but I won’t be spending it here anymore. You don’t seem to want it from me. I’ll be going up the street to bead world and online.

Great help on a project that I needed to complete. Beautiful gems in bead form.

I’m a bit perplexed by the bad reviews. I visited Alexander’s this afternoon and had a wonderful experience. Not only was I left to shop in peace and take my time, I was given really useful information for completing my project. The prices were very fair. One of the women (owner?) and I had a great time comparing our Value Village outfits. I’d definitely return and shop again.

Great selection of hard to find, unique & vintage/​antique items. I see Unilocalers are turned off by the watchfulness of the shop keepers… But if I travelled the globe & spend lots of money on high valued items I would be touchy too! I have had both dismissive and extra detailed– to-​my-​needs service. My only beef with this place is that I can’t leave w/​o spending $ 200 or more on the amazing items they carry! I see Unilocalers like bead world more, I love them and their excellent service too… But they don’t have everything!

As my friend and i were oohing and ahhing over the awesome selection of natural stones and crystals available for purchase today, one of the store staff came over and stared us down, and then loudly told us that we shouldn’t feel awkward with her standing right there, because she works there and can stand anywhere she wants (plus, she owns the store). my friend said, «i don’t feel awkward,» and laughed. i told her that i thought her store was very lovely. then from where she stood, she instructed the other employee present to «roll the tapes back about five minutes.»
was she trying to scare us because she thought we were shoplifting? my friend and i are not middle-​aged white women, but we did drive all the way from south of seattle to purchase things from the bead bazaar. i did not feel welcome, and as i was checking out with my items i thought maybe i shouldn’t buy from here any more. i don’t want to be treated in a negative manner for something i would never do. i am a practicing reiki healer and i just wanted to buy crystals to make into healing necklaces for my friends. i’m certainly going to be clearing the negative vibes from the stones i bought today.
reading the other reviews helps me feel better– at least they treat everyone the same way at this bead shop: poorly, as if all customers are shoplifters, and like they would rather not have to deal with the customers’ presence at all.
let’s help them out, no customers means no stress for them about shoplifting.
i’m willing to pay twice as much as i did today for at least some decent humane interaction.

I’ve been going to Alexander’s since long before Unilocal came along. So today after I left the shop I decided to look them up and see what kind of review they get. And I have to say, I’m a little shocked.
First of all, I’m not a «beader». I’m a jewelry maker. Does that sound snobby? Maybe, but there’s a huge difference. And if you don’t know the difference, Alexander’s might be disappointing for you.
Bead shops sell tons of shiny baubles that you stick on string, tie off, and call jewelry. Alexander’s sells a massive selection of precious and semi-​precious gemstones. The sort of thing that requires a skill level above tying a knot.
And if you should find yourself in over your head with a piece, the employees there will patiently explain how to fix or finish your piece. Today while I was being helped by someone, another sales person was explaining how to string pearls to a guy who looked like he had 2 left hands. And she was doing it nicely and graciously. Drawing pictures for him to take home in case he forgot. And this was for a purchase that probably only totaled $ 18.
I think I’ve been going there for at least 12 years, and I’ve never had bad service. I once bought something had buyers remorse when I got home. I decided that it was because the owner had hurried me. But then I realized that I had hurried myself. Today he helped me and we talked about stones for over a half hour, and I didn’t end up buying the expensive ones.
It’s possible that they don’t have «kiss your ass the moment you walk in the door» customer service, but I don’t really want that. I want to be left alone till I’m ready for help. Maybe that’s why I like it. Fake, obsequious customer service grates on my nerves. But I always appreciate good, solid help. And I don’t know about the camera’s that other people have referred to, but I wouldn’t be surprised. Their stones must be worth a small fortune.
This place has THE BEST collection of grown up jewelry making supplies. When you’re ready to up your game, it’s the only place in town worth going to.
And if you leave there with your feelings hurt because a total stranger didn’t kiss your ass enough, there’s a Starbuck’s a block away.

Terrible customer service. I’ve only been here once and I’m probably not coming back.
The signs in the store are mean spirited and off putting. It detracts from the shopping experience to be told NO and DON’T every two steps.
The people working here seem mean and not to like their jobs or their customers.
This place could be a great place to day dream but instead it feels like you’re not welcome.