What do ex-New Yorkers miss? (lawyer, contractor, wages)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We've become much more self sufficient. I hem all our pants now (my husband cuts and measures and I sew them). My son is a big boy but short for his size so far so it's do that (hem myself) or pay $10 a pair (forget that) for altering and wait 2 weeks.
So, I used to miss the cheap 'tailor' but in the end it was not very cheap in NY to have it done..
I usually do my own clothing repairs if they are simple. But replacing a zipper is currently beyond my skill level, although it would seem that all you have to do is use a seam cutter to cut the facing away from the garment and then sew in a new zipper. Meanwhile, the zipper on a pair of pants has died. The material has frayed to the point of uselessness, even though the zipper itself is fine. This is unusual. Usually it is the zipper that breaks while the zipper facing is fine. Someone on iBrattleboro.com (our local citizen news website) happened to ask about a seamstress/tailor, and from the replies I got two names. I will call at least one of them.
In Brooklyn, there were cleaners and tailors blocks away. Not necessarily good tailors, but they were there. If you needed first class work, I'm sure you could find it.
I also plan on learning how to use my sewing machine, which I got umpteen years ago and have almost never used. It is a very old one which I got second hand. The cabinet was butt-ugly. When I happened to see a nice looking cabinet, years later, I bought it, had it refinished and had the machine put into it. I either gave away the old cabinet, or sent it to the great furniture showroom in the sky.
Now that nice cabinet is gouged, courtesy, I believe, of the movers.
BTW, the movers also broke the marble top of a coffee table, among other things. Someone on this Forum recommended a stone monument place to have it repaired. I used the place, and was happy with their work. Of course, if the movers had bothered to save the shards of marble from the floor of the truck, that would have made huge difference. But at least the tabletop was glued together and the piece was able to fit on the frame. The table is usable.
I have made a list of recommended professionals and tradespeople. I put a shortcut on my computer desktop, so I can access the list quickly.
That said, can any Brattleboro people on the Forum recommend a local hair cutter, doctor, dentist or optometrist?
One amenity from Brooklyn that I miss is a shoemaker. Brattleboro has no local shoe repair place. The place that people seem to use is all the way in Keene, a half hour away. And, although this shop reportedly does great work, their turnaround time is weeks, not days. People can drop their shoes off at the cleaners here, and the cleaners send them out, but, last I heard, they send them to the same place in Keene.
To any shoemakers on the Forum: If you set up shop in Brattleboro, and do good work, I would be very surprised if you didn't build a very brisk business very quickly. Maybe even more brisk than you would want. 12,000 people live in Brattleboro, and, I am told, the population swells markedly during the workday. That's an awful lot of shoes.
I have a newish coat (from the previous Dec) that is totally useless due to the zipper being shot. I tried to patch it a few times but it's useless so I bought a new jacket, though I will hold on to the old one. Maybe if I do wind up going to NY for a trip I can get the coat fixed.
Turnaround times are slower here. Yes....(another reason I learned to hem myself). They wanted weeks to fix the pants.
I have a newish coat (from the previous Dec) that is totally useless due to the zipper being shot. I tried to patch it a few times but it's useless so I bought a new jacket, though I will hold on to the old one. Maybe if I do wind up going to NY for a trip I can get the coat fixed.
Turnaround times are slower here. Yes....(another reason I learned to hem myself). They wanted weeks to fix the pants.
Weeks to fix the pants?
Maybe it would be worthwhile to take some sewing lessons. Sewing not only saves money and gives more artistic freedom in dressing. Up here in Vermont, it might very well save a lot of time, too. Who would have thought? I would have thought that sewing, especially making clothes, would actually be more time consuming.
I have bad memories of sewing classes in school. I kind of resented having to take sewing and cooking when the boys got to do things like shop. I felt deprived and demeaned. In retrospect, though, sewing and cooking are more useful, and just as creative, if not more so. I think I just internalized the sexism in the culture (and in many cultures), which said that what males do is of more value than what females do.
I once read an article, by a man, I think, that lauded the pleasures of cooking. One thing he said is that people often get confused between the act of cooking and the low prestige of cooking.
I also remember having to take typing in the seventh grade. I could not see why I had to learn it. (It was for everyone, not just girls). Now, of course, I know that typing was one of the most valuable things I could have been taught. If I couldn't type, it would be very hard to participate on this Forum, for one thing.
Well, I guess sewing is one more thing I have to play catch-up with.
I would really like to minimize my separation from my pants. If that means I have to sew, then so be it.
This is a great example of life in VT. Specialization is progress. Having to wait weeks or learn how to sew yourself is inefficient, even if it is local. The world moves forward- VT moves backwards. I have no problem with folks choosing to live wherever and however they want but what is described in the last few posts is standard of living creep and it's not in an upward direction. I find it sad.
You may be able to have the coat repaired for free
Quote:
Originally Posted by GypsySoul22
I have a newish coat (from the previous Dec) that is totally useless due to the zipper being shot. I tried to patch it a few times but it's useless so I bought a new jacket, though I will hold on to the old one. Maybe if I do wind up going to NY for a trip I can get the coat fixed.
Turnaround times are slower here. Yes....(another reason I learned to hem myself). They wanted weeks to fix the pants.
Some manufacturers guarantee their clothing for the life of the garment. At the end of last winter the zipper on my daughter's LL Bean ski jacket was starting to come apart in the middle and wouldn't stay zipped even though the rest of the coat was as good as new (no holes or visible wear and tear even though she had worn it for two winters).
I called up LL Bean and asked if there was any way they could fix the zipper. They said to send it back and they'd see what they could do. Well, about two weeks later they sent it back good as new with a new zipper replacing the old broken one. There was no charge for the repair. Now, my younger daughter is wearing it and will probably wear it next winter, too.
I've heard that Lands End has a similar "guaranteed period" warrantee on their clothing.
I was talking to a woman who owns a small independent department store in my town and she said Columbia will also usually repair zippers on their garments for free or a small charge if a customer sends the item to their headquarters.
Don't know if this will help, but I thought my two cents might be useful.
Some manufacturers guarantee their clothing for the life of the garment. At the end of last winter the zipper on my daughter's LL Bean ski jacket was starting to come apart in the middle and wouldn't stay zipped even though the rest of the coat was as good as new (no holes or visible wear and tear even though she had worn it for two winters).
It's one of the reasons I pay super-premium for Patagonia outdoor gear. Same deal and I love the gear.
Yes, welcome to Vermont. Services that former urban dwellers may have been accustomed to can be difficult to obtain here and if in fact you can get them you will pay a price both in cost and time as many have found out. I have found this to even be true with trying to get a decent carpenter which you would think would not be the case in that work is not as plentiful, but the ones you can get to come and give an estimate try to charge in excess and then when the work is performed it often lacks quality. The problem is that there is little competition or for certain trades it just does not pay to try and do business. The main thing is that if and when you find someone, be it a cobbler, carpenter, seamstress, or whatever, and they do good work, then pass that on. I would rather see the few qualified and honest tradesman get business and stay in business than have to sift through the ones that should be doing something else.
Yes, welcome to Vermont. Services that former urban dwellers may have been accustomed to can be difficult to obtain here and if in fact you can get them you will pay a price both in cost and time as many have found out. I have found this to even be true with trying to get a decent carpenter which you would think would not be the case in that work is not as plentiful, but the ones you can get to come and give an estimate try to charge in excess and then when the work is performed it often lacks quality. The problem is that there is little competition or for certain trades it just does not pay to try and do business. The main thing is that if and when you find someone, be it a cobbler, carpenter, seamstress, or whatever, and they do good work, then pass that on. I would rather see the few qualified and honest tradesman get business and stay in business than have to sift through the ones that should be doing something else.
I have experienced the same thing. When I first moved to VT I wanted to get central AC. One local guy came and gave me an estimate of $14,000. but said it was to hot to do the work. I never heard from him again. I called another local company which was another waste of time. So I signed a contract with Sears. On the contract it stated I wanted the AC "ASAP". Well, over a year later Sears was still giving me a run around so I cancelled them. I'm happy I never got the central AC put in because it would have cost a fortune for the electric to run it. I am better off with separate ACs for each room.
I also had a problem when I was shopping for a pool. I paid a company in Rutland for a pool and once they received the money they kept telling me they were coming to the house to check out where I wanted the pool but never showed up. After a few weeks of their lies, I went to Rutland and got my money back. Then I called a pool company in Middlebury that wanted to charge me almost $2,000. just to come to my house for two days, not counting the cost of the pool. When I asked him why it was so expensive, he told me because they send workers that can speak English. So I never did get my pool either. Since living in VT can be hard on a person's savings, I am now holding on to what little I have left.
After returning from Montreal for the Valentines Day weekend, I'm even more convinced that it may be the greatest restaurant city in North America. Obviously it has less restaurants than NY, but it's not as if any of us can go to all of them. Montreal is full of tiny-relatively cheap and tasty little ethnic places. The only problem is deciding on one.
Although I hear the chinese food situation is not great. I'm sure it's not as bad as Burlington. If there's even one good chinese restaurant, it's better than here.
I went to Fairmont bagels in Montreal on Saturday-ok but not great. So during my past two trips I visited bagel legends Fairmont and St. Viateur. My conclusion? I like Meyers bagels in South Burlington better (although not the frozen ones you can get in Hannafords). I understand the giuy who owns Meyers used to work in St. Viateur.
I have experienced the same thing. When I first moved to VT I wanted to get central AC. One local guy came and gave me an estimate of $14,000. but said it was to hot to do the work. I never heard from him again. I called another local company which was another waste of time. So I signed a contract with Sears. On the contract it stated I wanted the AC "ASAP". Well, over a year later Sears was still giving me a run around so I cancelled them. I'm happy I never got the central AC put in because it would have cost a fortune for the electric to run it. I am better off with separate ACs for each room.
I also had a problem when I was shopping for a pool. I paid a company in Rutland for a pool and once they received the money they kept telling me they were coming to the house to check out where I wanted the pool but never showed up. After a few weeks of their lies, I went to Rutland and got my money back. Then I called a pool company in Middlebury that wanted to charge me almost $2,000. just to come to my house for two days, not counting the cost of the pool. When I asked him why it was so expensive, he told me because they send workers that can speak English. So I never did get my pool either. Since living in VT can be hard on a person's savings, I am now holding on to what little I have left.
When I moved here four years ago, I couldn't even get any home repair guys to return my phone calls. They only wanted to work on big projects for new construction. I bet they're singing a different tune these days.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
You may be able to have the coat repaired for free
