"Howards" used to be owned by Howard and was far and away the best place to take a sewing machine or vacuum anywhere around Ames. Howard retired and his son took over the business. Now there's not much left of the business at all. For good reason.

Howard still comes in sometimes to open the door and answer the phones. Probably when his son is on his frequent benders.

I took a serger in and it sat on the shelf (actually the dirty floor) for over FIVE MONTHS. When I'd call, either nobody could tell me anything, or the son would happily admit that he hadn't even looked at it. Oh, but he'd do so and call me with an estimate in "a couple of days." More months went by.

I finally stopped in one afternoon and picked it up. It wasn't doing me any good stashed among the huge piles of machines waiting repair in a shop owned by a guy too concerned with his next bender to worry about actually doing any work.

If you have a sewing machine or vacuum in need of repair, you'd be far better off just tossing it out with the trash and buying a new one than taking something to Howards