Newtown Sew & Vac

Exceptional service in a timely manner and owner was very professional.

vacuum fixed = neat place

I have seen heaven, and it’s Newtown Sew and Vac. Don’t call me overdramatic – I’ve been to countless repair shops with their crusty old dudes who make you feel like less of a person for having a broken item – but Newtown Sew and Vac is different. It’s not a repair shop. It’s an EXPERIENCE. Against everyone’s better judgement, I bought a cheap, used sewing machine on the internet, and to no one’s surprise, it didn’t function as advertised. The seller was a stand-up guy and offered to repair it…if I mailed it back to him at $50 and tons of wear and tear on the machine, or I could take it to my own shop to see what they could do. I didn’t have a “shop”, so I didn’t know where to turn until I Googled Newtown Sew and Vac. Sandor answered the phone, tried to help me troubleshoot it, and when all else failed, said I could bring it into the shop on a Friday when Tom, their repairman, would be there. I showed up that Friday, and to my surprise, Sandor remembered our phone conversation. I was a bit early, and he told me to make myself comfortable in their “kitchen” to wait a few minutes for Tom. His son arrived with the friendliest dog who DOESN’T jump or slobber (I’m from a dog family – friendly dogs jump and slobber on EVERYONE, but not this one!) and offered me a fancy coffee and some chocolate covered bacon. It was like I was a family member in their family kitchen! We chatted about an event they had had the night before, and I just knew I was someplace special…even before the repairman arrived! We also chatted about how much I had paid for the machine, which Sandor had plugged in and seemed to know everything about, and I was embarrassed to tell him how little I had paid for it thinking he would tell me I had gotten what I had paid for – a piece of junk. To my surprise, Sandor complimented me on having found a bargain, and when Tom arrived, Sandor, who was talking to a customer on the phone, told him I had quite a story. Tom listened patiently, laughed in all the right spots, then checked out the machine. In mere seconds, he correctly diagnosed the problem and attempted to fix it on the spot. Unfortunately, my stubborn bargain find just wouldn’t fix. So Tom offered me several possibilities when he would take it back to his workshop – either it just needed a little extra TLC (oil) or perhaps a part, but no matter what, he was perfectly willing to talk with the original seller on the phone to work out the cost which he broke down with each possible repair. He also said he’d be in touch before doing anything that would cost a fortune “because it wouldn’t make sense to charge a lot for something that had cost so little”. Why was I ever embarrassed? It was like taking my broken toy to my favorite family member that I knew would value my toy as much as I did (and wouldn’t overcharge me for fixing it!) I returned to pick up my machine the following week feeling pretty special. Sandor remembered exactly who I was and told me HE had a story for ME. Turns out the machine just needed some extra TLC after all, and Sandor wanted to make sure I wasn’t mad at the original seller, a sewing shop in Central PA, for missing something that had caused it to not work. He said it was like taking the car in for an oil change and the shop disassembling the transmission – no one would actually do that because it didn’t seem to need to be done, but in my case, it needed to be done, and Tom did the sewing machine equivalent of that. Pretty special, right? Well, as I was talking to Sandor about it, a customer with a Dyson vacuum came in right behind me, and Sandor’s son was helping her to troubleshoot it just like they had done for me with my sewing machine the week before. Sandor explained that they try to see if it’s something simple they can just fix on-site and not charge people – it’s not about the dollars, it’s about helping people. They help everyone who comes in with a broken “toy” and treat everyone like family. What an experience, and let me tell you, this place doesn’t just feel like heaven – it smells like it too!

They went above and beyond.

I left the machine and the repairman picked it up from the store on a Friday and returned the next Friday. Unfortunately he told me that my machine (Kenmore) had a broken gear and couldn't be fixed as parts were mo longer available for it. I was sad about that because it was a gift many years ago and although I do not sew much, it is handy to have a machine for some tasks. He suggested I not buy a new one as nowadays they are cheaply made and break easily. He had several old machines which he had reconditioned for sale there in the shop. I did purchase one of those, but have not tried it out yet, so I cannot speak to that. The owners were very pleasant and helpful and I certainly would use this business again. There was no charge for the service unless the repairman was able to fix the machine.

unknown

I brought my vacuum cleaner into them, described the problem. They thought it was something simple. They did a diagnosis, and determined it was a simple jam and they fixed it for me at no charge and sent me on my way. I was very pleased

unknown

We brought the unit in just before Labor Day. Sandor was up front with us and explained that he was moving to a new location over the holiday but that he would do his best to complete the repairs in a timely manner. Over the many years we have been going there we have purchased a canister vacuum as well as the rug shampooer. We have 2 dogs so both units get quite a work out. We've brought the units in for routine maintenance and occasional repairs.

Sandor has always been honest and fair in his estimate pricing and friendly yet professional in the way he conducts business.

True to his word, the repairs were completed in a timely manner and as thoroughly as always, despite the disruption of the move. He even performed preventive maintenance on a few parts that he noticed might cause a problem in the future --- at no extra charge. He has in-depth knowledge of each piece of equipment he represents and explains their operation in a simple, straightforward manner. In the case of repairs, he will tell you what went wrong, why it went wrong, and how to prevent the problem in the future, if possible.

We are completely satisfied with all aspects of his business and have absolutely no reason to and quot;tryand quot; some place else.

Steve and Carole Burnett

1068 Glen Oak Dr

Yardley

The owners were very nice when I dropped off the machine. They explained that they have a technician that picks up and delivers on Wednesdays. If there is a problem or would cost more he would call me. When the service tech called to explain the condition and the extra cost he was very professional and thorough in his explanation and said he felt he could get it running smoothly again. I agreed to the price as it would still be a lot less than even a new cheap machine. When I picked it up the owner carried it to the car for me, got home and couldn't wait to try it,,,,,, works like a charm, as well as when it was new. I couldn't be happier about the whole experience.

Newtown Sew and Vac is a wonderful and quot;Mom and Popand quot; business. This was my first visit but while there I saw many customers who were well known to the proprietors and return customers- they saved me tons of money and gave excellent, practical advice. HIGHLY recommended!

Prompt and Courteous

I was very happy with their services. They totally cleaned it and replaced the part. They were reasonable and they were punctual. They did what they said they would do, and they did it in a timely manner at a reasonable price. I will use them again.

They were nice, extremely helpful, offered to load and unload from the car for me. They have a guy come by the store once a week and do repairs, then drop off the machine the next week. They did everything they said they would and followed up with phone calls to tell me the machine would be ready for pick-up. In general a real community store, kindly attention to detail, old fashioned service, so refreshing! FYI they do vacuum sales and service too and sell Persil washing powder, the kind that Europeans use to save on hot water.

The service was excellent. Everything was fixed immediately. The store is very well stocked with items related to cleaning and I wound up buying a couple of other things.

We had purchased a Riccar 751 (electronic) sewing machine a few years ago for $423 and given it almost no use. When we began using it we had trouble. The first sewing machine repair place couldn't help us. The second shop, which sells Riccar products, told us that Riccar no longer made sewing machines. Although, Riccar still makes vacuum cleaners, etc. He fiddled with it for three minutes and pulled off a part and broke it. His solution was to buy a new machine from him. We then took it to Newtown Sew and Vac and they were most helpful. We dealt with Sandor Kokeny who said his repairman would take a look at it. Upon finding out that the parts needed could no longer be ordered or cannibalized from old machines, Sandor spoke with the factory and pleaded for help. They agreed to take a look at it, so he shipped it off to Chicago. As Riccar no longer makes the machine they also had trouble cannibalizing parts. Finally, they found a brand new machine and sold it to us at their cost. They then shipped it to Newtown Sew and Vac where we picked it up. Mr. Kokeny only asked us to pay the machine cost and shipping which he had paid to send it to the factory. He must have spent hours on emails and phone calls coordinating this effort and would not accept any payment for his time or effort, just costs. We know he went very out of his way for us and was most cordial the entire time. Also, he had no up front money as we didn't pay anything until we picked up the new machine.

I WANTED A LIGHT WEIGHT VACUUM AND ONE THAT WOULD DO BOTH FLOORS AND THICK CARPETS. THEY RECOMMENDED A RICCAR AND IT HAS BEEN GREAT. THEIR EXPLANATIONS WERE GREAT AND THEY WERE NOT AT ALL PUSHY.

NEWTOWN SEW and VAC WAS VERY PROFESSIONAL. THEY CLEANED THE VACUUM AND GAVE ME TIPS TO HELP PREVENT FUTURE DAMAGE. VERY NICE PEOPLE.