Author Archives: Alan Ilagan

Pier 1 Imports and I have had a long and, until the incident recounted here, relatively happy history together. We go a long way back – all the way to roomfuls of wicker furniture (and a sturdy wooden armoire that we still use in Boston) and their fashion foray into gypsy-like garments and jewelry (I still have a patchwork velvet vest from their old Porter Square location). Throughout their various focuses over the years, the one thing that they have done better than almost everyone else is their selection of pillows. Instead of having the same things that every Pottery Barn or West Elm store has, they have always maintained a unique collection. Some of the more extravagant ones tend to be pricier than many other places, but are usually worth it. They also supplement those with regular sales that have kept me coming back over the years. That all changed a few days ago.

I was in the process of revamping our guest bedroom, as two of the pillows we had on the bed were finally done, and I was on the lookout for something to match or complement the duvet, which was a difficult paisley riot of soft salmon and a green that sat infuriatingly along the lines of celery and celadon, something to which most pillows failed at doing justice. After exhausting the Marshalls and TJ Maxx and Homegoods at local disposal, I remembered Pier 1 Imports and made the very short drive around the corner to their Wolf Road location, Store #0116.

As usual, I got distracted by the displays and ended up almost taking all their summer outdoor goods home with me, then I got my focus back and headed to the wall of pillows. I knew the colors and design of the bedspread, and I knew what would work. I made several passes of the wall, and the clearance section, and just as I was about to give up, the perfect accent pillow appeared as if by magic. It was marked down to $19.98, but I would have gladly paid full price because it would work out perfectly. The colors were the muted ones of the bedspread, the cream in it was just dark enough to match the underlying background of the design, and the pattern was strong enough to stand up to the swirls of paisley, but quiet enough to blend in with muffled harmony. It was as if the pillow gods had smiled upon me for one brief shining moment. I quickly brought it to the register but it wasn’t ringing in. (I’m from the retail days when you could actually override items and key in their correct price.) Just then, the manager was coming in from the back room, and when she saw what was going on she was more than pleased to announce that if it was a redline item they wouldn’t be able to sell it to me.

Now, I worked in retail for a number of years. I know how it works. There are rules, and there are customers. When the two don’t exactly align, a good manager works with the latter to achieve satisfaction on the part of a returning entity. She was not a good manager.

“I can’t sell it because if I sell it then a notification will go out and we’ll get in trouble for selling it,” she said with a smug smile. (I’m not sure how a notification would go off when it wouldn’t even ring in, but whatever.)

“Wait, you have an item on your salesfloor that is marked with a price on it, and you can’t sell it to a customer who wants to purchase it?” I asked, more than a little incredulous, but trying to be nice because I knew how some people with a tiny amount of power tend to abuse it, particularly in the retail world.

“Sorry, it’s redlined, I can’t sell it,” she said.

“Well, why was it out on the sales-floor if you can’t sell it?” I asked, watching the pillow slowly being taken away.

“Oh, I will be dealing with that too!” she said gleefully, and with that she whisked my perfect pillow into the back room, never to be seen again.

If the policy of Pier 1 Imports is not to sell their ‘redlined’ items, I understand. But when one finds its way to the salesfloor, and you have a customer willing to pay the full price on the ticket for it, I’m shocked that they would rather bring it back to the lost land of redlined pillows instead of making a sale. Where do those pillows go now? I’m guessing I would have paid more for that pillow than whatever other fate is about to befall it, and I would have a guest bedroom that I could tell people looked so perfect because of Pier 1 Imports.

Now the world and our guest bedroom visitors will be getting a very different story.

And Pier 1 Imports just lost a loyal customer.

UPDATE #1: Shortly after this post went live, someone from Pier 1 called me (as I had also sent the abbreviated story to their e-mail contact address). The woman apologized and said that in some instances they could not sell a redline item, and she asked if I had the item number so she could check. I told her I did not, but that the manager had checked and it was definitely redlined. She then asked if she could help me find an alternative. I thanked her and said I was capable of finding another pillow from elsewhere. So, I’d give them a point for reaching out, and take away a point for not offering a viable solution to a dumb, business-losing policy. In other words, this post stands.

UPDATE #2: Well, I’ll just let you read the e-mail for yourself.

Continuing our extreme weather conjuring whenever we throw a party, this past Saturday was a scorcher in every sense of the word. Luckily we bounced guests and ourselves in between the pool and the air conditioning and all was well with the world. Let’s take a quick look back, because some of us need to get back in the pool to survive.

Ease into things with these #TinyThreads.

No teasing, just pleasing. 

A gay summer read.

A hotel in Savanah: the DeSoto.

Yes, Mercury is still in retrograde. Hold onto your hats.

Preventing the ostriches from burning. 

The New Project: Once Upon A Watercolor.

And a promotional interview from fantasyland: Part 1 and Part 2. 

The first Madonna Timeline featuring something from Madame X: ‘Future’.

Keeping things even hotter were Hunks of the Day Charlie Taylor, Jacob Elordi, Rylan Clark-Neal, and Rafael Lemes.