Studio City Vacuum & Sewing Center

This review is for their sewing machine «repair & maintenance».
Took my Janome MB4 embroidery machine here to get a cleaning & service.
Worked with Todd, the owner?
Called before hand to make sure they can service this particular machine & was told by Johnny he had no idea & I should just bring the machine in & talk to Todd (1^st clue I should of ran).
Came in, spoke with Todd & was told to leave the machine & he would call me later with a price.
NOTE: told Todd I wasn’t looking to spend more then $ 200-​$ 250 to have it serviced.
About 5 hours later Todd calls & tells me the price is between $ 300-​$ 350. I tell him I just can’t do that & he tells me he could work out a deal if I pay cash. I tell him I’ll think about it & come in regardless to either work out a deal or pick up the machine.
Came by his shop the next day & low and behold my machine was sitting on his front showroom floor taken apart.
I AM NOT SAYING THIS WAS A SALE TACTIC BUT IT’S STRANGE THAT MY MACHINE WAS TAKEN APART EVEN THOUGH I NEVER GAVE HIM THE GREEN LIGHT TO MOVE FORWARD.
We worked out a deal for $ 220. He told me it should be done in a day.
He calls me the next day & leaves me a voicemail saying he needs more time. Me thinking, this is a good thing because he’s spending his time really cleaning & adjusting things. I call to let them know to take their time & there was no rush.
Received a voicemail telling me my machine was ready to be picked up.
Called the shop to let them know I was coming & Johnny said that’s fine but told me Todd would not be in for the next few days (found out later he’s only there at the shop Wednesday-​Friday because he lives in Palm Springs).
Once I arrive to pick up my machine I notice Todd did not clean the exterior of the machine, there were obvious signs of no oil put back in the machine, parts that were taken off were not put back on & he had bent one of the thread arms. I told Johnny this but he had NO CLUE & told me I’d have to talk to Todd. Told him I wasn’t paying but he pleaded with me so I ended up paying.
Called in to speak to Todd & he just gave me the the run around. Telling me a service doesn’t mean anything but cleaning the machine.
Other reasons I gave this place 1 star.
— Todd kept grilling me (the 1^st day I met him), saying I had called his friends shop about servicing & I was fishing for better prices. He brought this up 3 times. Even after I told him I only called him & 2 other shops.
— Todd DOES NOT know how to work on larger embroidery machines.
— Todd put screws back in the wrong place & stripped them so you can’t get them out.
— felt I was scammed.
I’ve since called a few other sewing shop & have been told the standard rate for a service is $ 225-​$ 250 & it includes a cleaning, servicing, oiling the entire machine & running tests.
PS Johnny’s nice, he just doesn’t know anything about sewing machines.

These guys are the best. I have been using them for service for my 20 year old Miele vacuum cleaner for many years and it has always run like a top. They are knowledgable and friendly. I would definitely recommend them to anyone who either needs service or to buy a new vacuum cleaner. And by the way, Miele vacuums are the best!

Please heed the advice/​wisdom of someone who made the mistake of buying a vacuum from the big box stores — Target, Bed, Bath & Beyond. Instead of wasting your money on a unit that won’t last (mine died after 2 years) and that probably wasn’t a good buy to begin with, take time to visit Studio City Vacuum & Sewing Center. Not only was Todd friendly and knowledgeable, he took the time to explain the differences between several machines, helping me decide what the right one was for me (which wasn’t the most expensive). Honestly the whole experience clearly shows why going to a local specialty store is the way to go. I highly recommend this store to anyone who needs a vacuum that will last and fits your needs.

First time shopping with these guys here today. They are fantastic and hilarious. Not what you’d expect from a typical vacuum dealer. Thanks for being awesome and making me smile today.

Johnny at Studio City was great! My Miele was previously serviced at the Woodman shop and I had the worst overall experience. Johnny promised to make my experience better and he delivered. I even came home with a brand new Miele! e and even though I live in Glendora, I will be back here. 5 Star customer service!

This business is a pleasure to work with … Johnny was so knowledgable and helpful, and made me laugh too! …in a bad situation with my other vacuum.

I am still a loyal customer to this establishment! They never disappointed me!
Every year I bring both my vaccuums for service and they are great! Honest and
professional service, friendly and super fast!

They are the nicest! I had a problem with a vacuum and Johnny dropped everything to give me a hand. He was helpful and informative, even though I wasn’t buying anything. I will definitely go back when I’m ready to buy a new vacuum!

The best place ever… and the guys are terrific. I have been a steady customer for many many years. These guys are great. But you can’t expect miracles. If you have an old machine they can only do their best. I have bought several machines from them over the years from Shampooers to vacuums. I rate them top and I am not easy to please.
Jon Polito

Todd is the best! Great great sewing machine service– they know what they are doing!
I use my sewing machine a lot and really put it thru a lot! I had my Elna repaired a few years back by these guys and it ran like a trooper! I broke an outside plastic piece and took it into Todd to see if he could fix it!
He not only fixed the broken piece, but he cleaned and tuned up my machine and it is humming along! I am very happy with everything! Worth every penny!

I LOVE these guys!!! I have a 40 year old Hoover vacuum and they keep it running like new!!!
Parking in back is the best! Great service, always one or 2 day turn around.

1 week after service we had a belt break and they were so great in fixing it without any problem. They also changed my bag for free just because. Great service. great help. appreciate them!

I bought a small central vacuum online for my trailer, but didn’t order all the parts I needed to install it. He had a great sense of humor over the phone and had all the parts I needed at an extremely reasonable price. Then, when my unit started acting up after I installed it, rather than have to wait and deal with shipping delays, I took it into him to have a look at it. He was super friendly, and still witty. All it was doing was getting stuck and he showed me how to troubleshoot in the future. I will definitely be going back as I have a sewing machine as well, including an antique that I would love to get up and running again. Great find.

Rude, unprofessional, and way too expensive. In the past I have bought a vacuum and parts but after today I will never give them business again. Buy your parts off Amazon and get your service done elsewhere.

Great, fast service — will def use again for repairs!

I’ve never written a Unilocal before, but I wanted to do this to save some folks some $$$. I got the «upsale» as well and took the bait. Bought a Simplicity. Within a month the machine was on the fritz and I was back, and it seemed every month or so after. Every time they fixed it, I would use the machine once and be back again. Then it turned into a «well, what are you vacuuming» kind of thing — as if I were somehow abusing the vacuum cleaner. Then the guy started to imply that we had bought too cheap a vacuum w/​the Simplicity and it was time to trade up again. At first I found the sales-​people pleasant but as my interactions got my frequent, the less friendly they got. The last time my boyfriend took the machine in and they gave him kind of a «well what do you expect what such a cheap machine» kind of a drill.
I machine cost me about $ 400 but after all the repairs, I’m sure I added another $ 250.00 — so stupid. Before that I had a freaking Bissel (or whatever) that cost me $ 150 and worked for ten years.
I finally put the dumb thing on the side walk and bought a $ 120 Hoover from Amazon which already works 100% better than the Simplicity ever did.
I will NEVER shop at that store again.

I went back to Studio City Vacuum Center again last week to resolve an issue with my Vacuum. After receiving a quote, once the vacuum was taken apart an additional problem was found which if known at the time would have resulted in a much higher quote. Instead, they repaired the vacuum and honored the price I was originally quoted.
The way I was treated only bolstered my original opinion about the store and though I hope I don’t have any other problems for another few years, I would not hesitate to recommend them 100%,

Never again!
There is a review from Marina Z.(see 10÷25÷13) that I can guarantee is likely a fair representation about this store. I also have a Rainbow vacuum which I brought in for a general servicing. When I had originally called to find out if they can even service rainbows I was told yes and the cost would be about $ 70. Taking my machine in to them was mistake #1. Once I went in I was essentially upsold on replacing a filter at a cost of $ 170.00. None of this was an issue based on the money but the problem is that they didn’t actually service the machine and since I didn’t get a work order I couldn’t tell you what they claimed they did although I know what they should have done.
When I picked up my machine it was clear that they hadn’t even cleaned (exterior)the machine which left me to wonder if they had actually performed any service at all. There were fingerprints all over, you could just look at it and tell plus there was an issue with the plug for the powerhead that needed adjustment when it was taken in. When I took it home and tried to use it the plug wouldn’t even stay in so the power head was worse then before I brought it in. In addition, there is a gasket at the base of the unit which I could tell wasn’t even touched, when I came back in the second time and even pointed this out I was told «we don’t usually replace those» which to me is like going to a dry cleaner and them telling you yeah we don’t usually clean the clothes.
What did I actually pay you for because clearly it wasn’t for repairs, it wasn’t for servicing and most definitely it wasn’t for good customer service. I even got a call from the technician the second time around to let me know the unit was ready but he apologized for not taking care of a few of the issues. I don’t expect anyone to be perfect but if you’re going to make them then be honest and take responsibility. The guy who I had the most issues with was so snarky and then his excuse was «Well I didn’t service the unit so what do you want from me». What a joke.
Here’s the problem I could spell out the whole story of what they didn’t do, how I felt they did the work poorly but I’m okay with that but I evaluate companies based on the simple formula on how they handle problems. Doing things right or without issue are simple enough but when the is an issue how you deal with speaks volumes and theirs was simply a fail.
When I brought my machine back in the gentlemen that helped me was snarky and abrasive. I don’t know his name but after reading the reviews I would guess it was Todd, a tall guy. Regardless the saddest part was after having a less than warm, fuzzy conversation about what wasn’t fixed properly they clearly did the bare minimum and here’s the kicker. When I came back after the second attempt to «service» my vacuum the same gentlemen (Todd?) asked me is semi-​serious manner «If I had a gun». How odd of a question, joking or serious.
My rainbow isn’t working as well as before I brought it in but there in absolutely no way it’s worth taking it back as I simply don’t trust them. So as they say buyer beware, my experience was bad and clearly I wasn’t the only one.

This place is outstanding. I bring my machine in every year for full service and it is always ready on time and perfect. This week, I am really busy and a bit stressed I guess. I changed the thread for a new project and the machine kept jamming. I called and Todd said, bring it right over. Sad to say, I had threaded top and bottom wrong. He fixed it quickly, showed me what i did wrong and NO CHARGE.
This place is really special. They service our vacuum cleaner too and work hard so you keep the good old machines that are not plastic!
PS: there is parking in the back.

I took my 40+ year old geriatric Hoover Dial-​A-​Matic to the Kindly Genuises at SC Vac & Sew expecting the worst possible diagnosis. To be honest I wasn’t any too sure I hadn’t delivered it there D.O.A. in the first place. Just about everything that can go wrong was wrong with it, including having to hand them parts that had literally dropped off the thing during its final attempt at «sort of «vacuuming the bedroom. But I really wanted this vac fixed. We’d grown up together and moved around to several locales during the years. We were old friends. I wanted it fixed. OK, I wanted a miracle. The Kindly Geniuses nodded sagely during our consultation at the store. They understood.
Still, imagine my surprise and delight when they called a week later and said «It’s ready.» My response, logically enough was «You’re kidding! You mean you fixed it??»
The thing runs like a dream. My husband an I could NOT believe how well it runs now. We took turns vacuuming all afternoon, yelling from room to room, «Honey, honey, come here and look at THIS!» We found long buried patterns on our oriental rugs we’d forgotten about. Our fully re-​conditioned old Hoover runs just like it did 40 years ago.
So it is with heartfelt gratitude to SC Vac & Sew that I tell all who may be perusing these ads on Unilocal desperate for someone who really knows what they’re doing and won’t charge them an arm and a leg to fix what’s gone wrong, LOOK NO FURTHER! This is the place!