Dear Russ,

I just wanted to take a few moments to let you know just how happy my wife and I are with the Imperial Range and Windcrest hood that we purchased from you. If I can convince just one person that has the slightest doubt to "Go for it!" and in turn, have that person experience that joy that we currently feel, I would be elated. To be quite honest, I have always been nervous about internet purchases, and never have we made a purchase of this magnitude over the net. We didn't know you, nor did we really know your company, and with all of the exposés about internet scams, the recurring general theme is "if it sounds to good to be true, then it probably is. Still, like the victims in the news, we decided to take the plunge anyway. Thank God we did!

The range is awesome! I'm sure you already know that of course! It is built to last and yet so easy to clean! I've always loved to cook but now there is no comparison. Visitors stand in awe when they see it for the first, and even subsequent times. I was nervous about re-learning to cook on gas but it took little adjustment. As you know, we lost everything we owned in the flood from hurricane Floyd in September of 1999. I have worked to completely rebuild this house by myself without help. To look only forward, and on the positive side, the flood was a good excuse to remodel! I've logged in an average of 85 hours per week on this house since Sept. My wife and I decided that, one, as a reward for my efforts and two, to properly complete the kitchen, a stove of epic proportions was in order.

By the way, I am the cook in the family! We looked at Viking, Dynasty, Imperial, Jenn-Aire, and others. The Jenn-Aire does not even bear mentioning in the same paragraph. The first three were the real contenders. After comparing your price on the Imperial against nearly $10,000 for the Viking locally, we of course opted for the Imperial. I have since gone back to look at the Viking to examine it more closely in comparison and am at a loss as to why they are so outrageously expensive. Your Imperial is by far the biggest bang for the buck and yet every bit as elegant, and yet still practical.

My kitchen has now been modeled around this range. When we sell this house, the Imperial goes with us. I'll leave one of your cards on the wall for the new owners. I have a few more things to finish up and the kitchen will then be complete. When it is, I'll send some photos.

The most important thing that we got from this purchase was the wonderful service you provided and your patience with me through all of my questions. You are a great guy, running a great business, selling a great product. It is so good to deal with a person that treats one like a person rather than getting lost in the maze of automated answering systems, left on terminal hold or treated like a number. If you have any prospective customers that are in any way leery or suspicious or just in need of convincing, by all means, have them give me a call. Feel free to publish this letter in part or in whole on your website. Keep up the great work!

Sincerely, and with many thanks for all that you have done,

Bob and Nancy Ainsworth
(printed by permission)