This is my all time favorite Lawn, Feed and Gardening equipment store for repair and purchase. Billings has been a cornerstone of Royal Oak businesses for many years...I think actually since the 1920's-1940's when they were located on the corner of Lincoln and Main Street as a major feed store. Today, their new equipment facility is located North of 11 Mile Road on the west side of the street.
I have been doing business with Billings since the 1950's. They are my standard for comparison for all lawn and garden equipment stores wherever we live in the U.S.
Prices compare to power equipment sold at WalMart, Sam's Club and COSTCO but service is exceptional. Billings provides factory authorized service for many major brands of power and lawn equipment. Residential AND commercial equipment is available for sale.
The service department will patiently remind me how to use our gas 14 inch power saws, gas edgers and weed eaters every time I return to my childhood home to visit. I don't use these items on a regular basis and often forget from year to year which oil to get to mix with the gas and how to adjust the gas 14" Poulan versus McCullough Chain Saw. How to operate the Craftsman vs Stihl vs Ryobi gas weed eaters, etc.
The parts counter and service department will eagerly assist in re-teaching me the fine points of our power equipment at no charge. I can always feel that the supplies I purchase from them will not inadvertently damage expensive tools.
Last Fall I dropped off the used Poulan chain saw to have the blade sharpened. When I picked up the saw the serviceman took 20-30 minutes to patiently show my Dad and I how to use it again. He also said the choke was slightly out of adjustment and fine tuned some other features for no additional charge. He also gave me a special wrench to use for adjusting the tension of the chain, choke, etc. My outlay for this superb service: $8 for sharpening the chain! While the Serviceman made final adjustments in the back I perused a complete line of many name brand lawn mowers, tractors, leaf blowers, leaf vacs, snow blowers, etc. Much more complete than any other similar store I have ever seen.
I do have a touch of my Dad's mechanical skills and love to browse the equipment. My son wishes he lived in RO so he could stop in regularly and work here in the future---a boy's dream job. Oddly most of the employees in this store are fully experienced middle aged adults with experience using all of the power equipment: no young inexperienced kids who don't know the products. I find Billings employees much more knowledgeable than Lowe's, Home Depot similar employees OR most car salesman. The staff tends to know their stock backwards and forwards.
Billings is an exceptionally well managed business with friendly, honest and helpful staff. Every time I leave Billings I have a warm fuzzy feeling inside and often comment to others on today's superb service. I'll be back over and over again bringing my spouse, friends, family, etc. I wish more businesses provided this high standard of quality and friendly service.
more