SHOPPING
Local Honors Two customers win big at Spencer’s By Annika Tomlin
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wo local Spencer’s TV & Appliance customers were awarded major shopping sprees at its original location in Mesa recently. Patti Everts of Scottsdale and Richard Holmes of Peoria each won $10,000 to spend at the store for being its 4 millionth transaction. John Polainer, the Scottsdale location’s general manager, gave them certificates. He also served as the salesperson who sold Everts her appliances at the Scottsdale store. Everts’ prize-winning trip was her first visit to Spencer’s. “I bought a whole new kitchen,” Everts says gleefully. “I bought everything that a kitchen should be—a washer and dryer, refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher, the whole kitchen.” Everts says she never won anything like this. At first, she thought she thought the phone call from Spencer’s was a trick. “I received a phone call in the afternoon, and I thought I was punked; I really did,” Everts says matter-of-factly. “I didn’t know the person calling me. I didn’t recognize the number on my cellphone. I was trying to be excited for him, but I didn’t want to be super excited and be wrong. “Then John (Polainer), my salesperson, calls me about an hour later and congratulated me, and then I knew it was real.” Everts is not sure how she will spend her $10,000, but she’s excited to return to Spencer’s when she is ready. Holmes is a long-time customer of Spencer’s and was also surprised that he had won. “One of the managers let me know,” Holmes says. “I was surprised, and right after that the salesman called me.” To enter into the competition, Holmes bought a new stove and refrigerator. He bought all of his appliances at Spencer’s in the last 15 years. Holmes had also never won something of the magnitude of this prize. “My first experience with them was re-
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Scottsdale Spencer’s TV & Appliances General Manager John Polainer, center, awards the 4 millionth transaction winners Richard Holmes, left, and Patti Everts, right. (Photo by Annika Tomlin)
ally good and every experience since has been great, so I just keep coming back,” Holmes says. He already used most of the gift on more appliances and will finish using the winnings and continue to be “a Spencer’s customer forever.” “We got another new stove and another new refrigerator and a deep freezer and a TV. Now we’re just waiting to get some more stuff,” Holmes says.
After buying a new stove, Holmes sold his other one but now has three refrigerators and a freezer in his house. Spencer’s has 10 Valleywide locations that are practicing social distancing during the pandemic and offers virtual listings of its appliances on its website. Polainer was happy to award the winners and is hopeful that by next year the company will have reached the 5 millionth transaction mark.
