Cool Vibrations... NOT Cool

[Yvonne]

This is a word of warning based on my recent experience w/ this shop at Time Square. I made one last souvenir shopping sweep at Time Square before I left last week. I already had picked up a few CDs but was still looking for the Reggae Gold 2011. I stopped in Cool Vibrations to see if they had it & they did. I was talking w/ someone else while still there who asked if I'd checked the CD. That was a clue that something fishy might be going on. I'm used to buying my CDs from Adrian but he didn't have the 2011 edition in stock.

So... I tore off the wrapping & opened the CD. It was a black disc v. one w/ graphics, there was no insert w/ song/artist info, only one disc. Bottom line... it was a knock off. Boy, was I peeved! The store owner obviously knew it was not the real CD. He wanted to know how I knew it was a knockoff. I looked at it. Since I have of them since 1996, I know what to expect.

I insisted on a refund but he wanted to give me a store credit. Are you kidding me?!?! You just tried to rip me off. He kept calling me Cheap Charlie but finally gave me my money back when I told him I was going to get a police officer. As I was later walking past the store when I was leaving Time Square, he & his staff came out of the store and were loudly yelling "Cheap Charlie" at me as I walked by. I simply said, "At least I'm not a tief."

I will never step foot in that store again. Not only is the owner knowingly selling knockoff CDs, he was rude & obnoxious. No cool vibes at Cool Vibrations, that's for sure.

I ended up ordering the CD when I got home.

[Mr. Twister]

What a terrible experience! I'm glad you knew what to look for. I'm in the music biz and am adamantly against music piracy. The whole name calling thing was very childish. Thanks for the info. I may go visit them next week and have some fun. Maybe I'll ask if they have Cheap Charlies Greatest Hits....lol.

[Vince]

Thanks for the tip!!!!!!!We would never set foot in there,by hearing your experince.Thank you for the input!!!

[Angel]

Yvonne sorry to hear they were so rude and calling out names. Glad you got your money back. Can't believe your trip is over. Enjoy the rest of your summer with your Mom.

[cinnni]

You know, we were at one of the stores in Times Square..looking for a specific size in a pair of swim trunks hubby wanted....we had looked in all the stores to no avail. Well the last store says yes man I can get them soon come. I found it odd cuz I know the stores will all call each other to find other sizes but we waited. While we were waiting the guy says try on the XL..hubby says no I already tried those, they are to big. Finally the young lady comes back and the guy pulls the shorts out of the bag and asks brian if he wants to try them on or was he good...Hubby says yes..I say hang on a minute..look at the tag and they had CUT THE TAG OUT. Not the whole tag mind u...just the part with the size on them. Needless to say we did not purchase anything from him. Wish I knew which store it was. I know it was very close to the little bar in the center of the plaza.

[Marko]

dats real bad mon.........
your so cool about everything to do with Negril Yvonne, so this had to be really bad for you to say sumthin.........
the name calling chit is inexcusable......
you might see this once in awhile on the beach........
but I would never expect it at Times Square.....oh well....
guess wi will stay away from dem like the plague....lol

Cool Runnings, Marko

[Angel]

Cinni that is bizarre glad you did not buy anything there. Sounds like the shopkeepers are ripping people off. Or maybe even the same one as Yvonne.

[Monty&Melo]

We usually make one trip to Times Square on each of our reaches....normally to buy some t-shirts and towels. We walk by the "duty-free" jewelry places and laugh at anyone that would actually buy something from one of those places, they don't offer any better prices than what you can get at home especially on Tag Hauer and other expensive watches or jewelry. I am usually not a prejudiced person, but when we walk in places like Cool Vibrations and see the Cuban "Czar" behind the counter and the Jamaican "working class" actually working the aisles in the store it makes us want to throw up. I would rather spend my hard-earned tourist dollars with guys on the beach than with these "Cubans" who take all the profits off of the island. Correct me if I am wrong but this is just my impression of the Times Square gift shops and jewelry stores. Doesn't mean I don't spend about $100 there each trip on souveniers for folks in the states that expect that kind of crap from us when we get back.

M&M

[Bnewb]

I am usually not a prejudiced person, but when we walk in places like Cool Vibrations and see the Cuban "Czar" behind the counter and the Jamaican "working class" actually working the aisles in the store it makes us want to throw up. I would rather spend my hard-earned tourist dollars with guys on the beach than with these "Cubans" who take all the profits off of the island. Correct me if I am wrong but this is just my impression of the Times Square gift shops and jewelry stores.
M&M

I don't think they're Cuban! Are you sure they're Cuban?

[jx2]

I don't think they're Cuban! Are you sure they're Cuban?

Most i have seen, look Indian (from India) to me. Not that it matters, but we do buy some cheap charlie gifts there each trip also. Will watch cool vibrations now though.