West Farms Mall Macy's Store Comes to the Rescue

Just a few years ago, about two weeks before Christmas, my Mom was looking through the ads and found the perfect set of crystal lamps for my cousin on sale at Macy's.

She had asked me to go to the store buy them for her but cautioned that our local store probably would not have the lamps, and, boy, was she right.

I went to the Crystal Mall Macy's in Waterford, CT and discovered their undersized store only had one crystal lamp on display with no box. It was almost impossible to find a clerk in their store and when I did, he agreed that they had no other ones and no idea when they would be getting any in.

When I go shopping, I am a man on a mission. My goals must be met or I am not satisfied, even if it means driving an hour or two out of my way.

While I told my mother they didn't have the lamps and she was not surprised; she explained that possibly she can find another gift.

A couple nights later, I took a trip about an hour away to the Westfarms Mall in West Hartford, CT, one of the largest malls in the state.

The Macy's is so large it's split into two anchor locations. The main store is at the end of the mall while their Men's and Furniture Gallery was in the center.

I figured the lamps would be at the Men's and Furniture Gallery location. I walked in and asked one of the Furniture Department associates that looked bored out of his mind. It was obvious he had no idea and referred me to talk to another associate.

When I did, they were unsure whether Macy's carried crystal lamps and referred me to the main Macy's store.

Knowing that parking was at a premium, I did not want to move my car so I walked down to the main store. When I asked a cosmetics associate on the lower level of that store, she referred me to go to the store's third floor.

Upon entering the third floor, I asked another associate who referred me to go to the other end of the floor.

I looked and finally found the crystal lamps and an associate, the first one that was helpful. I was able to get the lamps at the sale price and use a coupon.

I walked carefully with both lamps in bags back down to the first level, into the mall, through the other Macy's store, and finally back to my car. My trunk was being used as a gift storage area so I had to rearrange items to make room for the lamps.

And of course, I had to drive an hour back home but it was all worth it.

In hindsight, I should have called Macy's and asked the location of the crystal lamp department. I also should have completely avoided the Macy's Crystal Mall store.

Sometimes it's better to go to a larger mall to do your shopping than a smaller one, even if the smaller one is much closer to your home.