CITY OF VAPORS VAPE SHOP & SMOKE SHOP SRQ Sarasota & Bradenton

My partner & I came to this store for the first time today - and the associate, JAKE, was SUPER friendly, extremely patient & helpful, and had an overall great attitude! He gave my partner a cute, pink rubber vape band + lanyard to go with. 5 stars from just that/the first visit we had. The store itself also had a wide selection, and a price booklet/menu that made it easy to browse. Thank you, Jake, for making our experience so pleasant. Will definitely be stopping at this store whenever we’re visiting the area :)

Aurora was amazing and helped me out so much! The whole crew has always been great but she totally made my day!

We were here twice in the last weeks to look at some vape pens. Both times we received amazing service and great advice! I would definitely recommend coming here especially if you dont already know what you are looking for.

Great place for all your smoking needs. Everything is reasonably priced and the employees are friendly and helpful if you have any questions.

They had a flavor of nicotine vape that no other vape store has and I really liked it.

The only vape shop I will do business with anymore. Ive been to all 3 locations and they are all excellent. The staff is always quick to help, knowledgeable about their products and the prices are great. Seems like Im always getting some sort of discount every time Im there.

This is the absolute best smoke shop around. They are very knowledgeable about all their products. Always glad to help you with whatever you need. Very organized and clean. Also, great prices. I would never go anywhere else. I cant say enough good things about this shop. :)

Great customer service and friendly staff . Always able to leave a good impression on you . I shop at that location exclusively. They have the best prices, best deals, and usually everything you would need.

Great place!! Great location. Very clean. Very affordable prices!! They have a great selection of in-stock products on display, as well as catalogs to order merchandise from if you dont already find something you love. They have nice, genuine, knowledgeable employees, who are always eager to help, and who are always in high spirits, waiting to greet you and satisfy your purchases. Also they offer a rewards program for any returning customers. Every time you make a purchase you get points. Once you have gained enough points, they will turn them back into dollars that you can use on your next purchases. They have what I like to call The Whole Package. I would definitely recommend this shop!

All locations always have what I need, but the service at this location is always on point. Fast—but never rushed, and friendly. I never know what flavor I want, and the associates always have great recommendations for me. I usually deal with Spencer, and he’s always super personable. From selection to service, this place rocks!

This shop seriously never steers me wrong, and their employees are awesome if you don’t want to feel pressured when you’re looking around. Darnell is incredible with product recommendations if you’re not sure what you’re looking for! Super friendly too, can’t recommend enough!

Jake is by far the coolest person I’ve had the luxury of encountering in any store ever. Every time I walk in he comes right up and takes time out of his day to walk me through the process of using various things sold in store. Not only does he show me but will genuinely explain how everything works and give honest opinions.. 10/10

Very friendly, helpful, & knowledgable staff. Staff knew all products very well, & were willing to answer any & all of my questions. The store was very neat & clean, & had a wide selection of products that were reasonably priced. Wallace gave excellent customer service & advice.

Best store I have been in for these products. The person working the store was absolutely great. Strated me in the right direction. Made great recommendations and even saved me a few dollars.

Wonderful store and great staff! I went in the store knowing very little about vaping and Wallace did a great job educating me and helping me pick out the right system. I’ve made several purchases/upgrades and have always received exceptional service from Wallace. I’ve even referred others to go see him.

Fantastic selection with a variety of flavors to suit any taste. Wallace was beyond helpful in helping us decide. Honest about his opinions as well. Definitely earned repeat business when we run low on liquid.

Was in today for their Black Friday sale. The place was packed, but when it came to my turn, it was as if no one else was in the store. the employee took his time with me and answered every question with the utmost knowledge of every product. He even helped me fix an issue I was having with my current mod. Overall great experience and couldnt be happier with my new kit! I will be back for sure!

This place is great! Selection is vast, employees are knowledgeable and friendly. They definitely put an effort into creating a happy (and long-term) customer base. They will have my patronage for life! Keep up the awesome work!!!

Im so glad they opened a store closer to my house. Benjamin was extremely helpful in my search for new flavors. He let me try a variety of flavors and made recommendations based on what I told him I liked. The prices are relatively decent. The only reason I gave it 4 out of 5 was because they do not carry all of their flavors with 0 nicotine option. Other than that this place is great!

The guy with the long hair (short on the sides) was SUPER helpful.He answered all my questions with patience and helped me set up my vape. You also get 10% off for creating an account with them which was nice.Overall great customer service!

Extremely helpful staff. Very clean store, friendly, and has a huge selection. Also very helpful in resolving any issues you may have. Definitely my new favorite shop.

I just went in to get a new vape and the guys in there, Spencer and Jack, were the two most helpful and kind people you could have working. Ill definitely be back due partly for them, and partly because the prices are hard to beat. Good quality for less.

Definitely a great place to shop, regardless on what your looking for. Great atmosphere and clean too.The person who helped us was great had lots of information and was able to answer questions quickly as well as accurately. Came in for butane and walked out with a bunch of knowledge and a new place to get all my smoking needs, the distance between this shop and the one down the street from me is at least 10 mins but is definitely worth it.

One teller is knowledgeable and had a big smile for me. The other was very aggressive and made me feel uncomfortable for asking about the merchandise sold there. A good cop bad cop routine perhaps?Try to avoid the balding guy, he needs to spend more time praying

I went into the store knowing very little about e-cigs. The associates were extremely helpful in walking me through everything and helping me understand the many different aspects of the products. Now I feel like I have a much better grasp on a business that seemed very overwhelming before. I even received a step by step tutorial on how to operate my new e-cig and what I needed to do to keep it functioning properly. Wallace was especially helpful to me. Im very glad I went here.

I visited this Lockwood location for the first time on July 4th 2018. I was taken care of by wallace. He was quite knowledgeable about everything and was extremely professional with just the right amount of friendliness. He made a return customer out of me and sold me a product that I am very happy with!!

Great vape shop with an awesome selection of juices and hardware. They are always bringing in new juices to keep the selection fresh. The juice selection is impeccable whether your looking for premium juices or high end affordable liquid. Hardware selection is great as well and kept up to date with new additions, they do a great job of deciding what to carry and what not to.

Bought some tobacco . Had to throw it away. Was swarming with quick brown bugs too quick for a photo. Got it on video. Disgusting… and apparently it is normal for these people. Never saw this before in my life. when i called they said its normal its “natural” well its disgusting . Threw it all away what a waste.

Fantastic shop that has everything for the beginner to the veteran vaper. The whole staff is exceptionally knowledgeable and are always a pleasure to talk to. Do yourself a favor and stop in, and be sure to ask for Wallace! Hes my go to guy there and does a fantastic job recommending eliquid flavors and finding the right setup for you.

My first time in the store was over two years ago and I was waited on by Spencer. Each and every visit is always a pleasure and I have no need to ever go to another vape store! Regardless of who waits on me they are always friendly, super helpful and just a terrific bunch of guys. I cant recommend them highly enough! Whenever I have a customer at Publix that is looking for vape products (which we dont carry), I ALWAYS refer them to City of Vapors. in terms of knowing how to treat their customers, they are the Publix of vape stores !

I had a great experience! Spencer was extremely helpful and professional. Very educated on his products and provided exceptional customer service. Will recommend this location to friends and family

I like too take the time when its deserved to give a review good or badlets start off with the bad I didnt like the sign on the building. Thats my only complaint because from the min you walk into the store its a refreshing clean atmosphereThe selection of vape products is top notchFollowed by a great glass selectionAnd finally too top off this review we have nice helpful staff who were friendly and prompt even when doing other thingsSo all in all try out this vape store prices are decent and wel thats all folks

Very clean and updated store. Spencer was not only friendly he gave great advice on all of the products. Very reasonable prices. I will definitely make all my future purchases with Spencer.

Workers here are absolutely terrible. Don’t help and/or help you find the right amenities for you. Instead tell you look around and see. —_— The one with Red hair and glasses and the fat dude who doesn’t seem too like his job. I have cut y’all off from being my Primary go to for glass piece purchases.

Wallace talked to me for a bit. And made sure I got exactly what I needed and knew what I was doing. That is some excellent customer service. I will definitely be back. This dude rocks! Ask for him when you come in!!!

Best shop in town, price and selection. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable. Give them a try, you wont be disappointed. Shout out to Spencer!!

Great place always super friendly and knowledgeable and good prices

Great staff, great choices.

Ive been to several vape stores around town and this place is my favorite!! Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Lots of ecig juices to choose from and smoking supplies for whatever it is you might be looking for. Highly recommend this place.

This place is the best vape shop in town. Everybody that works there is friendly and knows what they are talking about. Ive been goin to this place a year and a half and havent turned back. If you go here ask for Wallace, hes the man and will point you in the right direction. Hes talent for figuring out what flavors you would like!

Joe and Cody were so helpful! I went in to puchase something valued at $300 and after hearing more of what I needed they both gave me more options, educated me and REALLY HELPED ME! Thank you both for your time and expertise.

They sold me broken vape (atomizer wasn’t working). Took it back the next day to get a replacement part or exchange but they wouldn’t do it without receipt and wanted me to spend another 20 on the atomizer. Wouldn’t not recommend.

This place has taken care of my girlfriend and mines needs so well, absolutely the #1 vape shop ever!! Not only do they have what you need and then some but the customer service is out of this world, I kid you not. I’ve been vaping since the Spinner 1 came out, so it’s safe to say “I’ve been to the puppet show and I’ve seen the strings” 😉! If you’ve never been to the University store on Lockwood Ranch Rd in Sarasota then GO!! Ask for Spencer, Dillon or Jack they will take care of you, best customer service to date!!

Been coming here since I got into vaping. Wallace was there to walk me through each upgrade, from the iCare to my current Swag Vape. Very helpful and knowledgeable! I am a regular now and enjoy every visit.

There are lots of choices here. Bought a new pipe, and the man working was helpful. Prices are good. Ill be back often.

Wallace is always very helpful and awesome to talk to. I come in regularly and hes the reason I only come to this shop. I wont go anywhere else. Thanks for being awesome!

Thye would not let me return a vape pen, that has a defective push button, that I bought 4 days, prior. He tried the button and said it worked for him.

Wallace provided a fantastic experience and was more than willing to help me find a great flavor. Very knowledgeable! This store is a must visit for new and experienced users!

This place is better than willy wonkas chocolate factory. Great atmosphere. Friendly service. Wallace is the man!! Super helpful and just so handsome.Make sure you ask for him when you get here!Definitely recommend this vape shop.

ALWAYS SHOP HERE. The staff have great product knowledge and are very helpful. Anytime I need something I go here even though its out of my way. Nothing is overpriced like many of the shops youll see and youll leave with exactly what you needed

Visiting from out of town and now I’m upset this isn’t my usual vape store. Incredible selection and fair prices. I had questions and Spencer answered all of them. Super friendly dude and totally knowledgeable.

Turned away my business. Told me that Id have to come back another time because I brought my 14 year old son and its against the law to sell to me because my son was with me. I told the guy I was familiar with the law and it says you cannot SELL to him; there is NO law about a minor being in the store. Its summer, and my kids are with me when I run errands. Yes, I read the sign on the door, but I thought that was for *customers* (people buying). Why did I think that? Because they had no problem 2 weeks before (different guy) selling me over $100 worth of equipment with my son in the store with me. They try to sell you the B.S. that you have to come back another day because its the law that they cant sell to me because they saw me with a minor. Baloney. I can bring him with me to the liquor store and buy $100 worth of booze and no problem. But the law says hes not even allowed in an e-cig store? OK, Im not that dumb... and I looked it up afterward to be sure Im not that dumb. :-) Store policy, OK. Law, NOT. Not worth the hassle: I wont be back if I have to leave my kid in the parking lot just to get an e-juice refill.

This is by far my favorite vape shop. Spencer is extremely knowledgable and friendly! His recommendations have never steered me wrong. They have a great selection of products and a wonderful staff. I’ll be a lifelong customer for sure!!

This is my spot! Very friendly and helpful staff. Great products! Glad to see they take pride in their store, it is always very clean and consistent.

Great shop! Very modern, clean and the staff is nice and has everything you need.

All the employees are so friendly, always greets you with a smile. Been going there for many years. They always know exactly what you need.

Visiting from out of town and broke my tank glass. These guys were fantastic. Great shop with an awesome variety and even better prices than home. Highly recommend

They are have some of the most amazing people that works there, treats you like friend more than a customers. they also have huge selection and very fair price! amazing experience!!!!!

The guys working there were very nice to me Im a 57 yr old disabled widow and I with smoking and do Juul now and the price was even better here.If you know where Walmart on University Parkway and Lockwood Ridge Rd is look across to checkers restraunt on other side of Lockwood Ridge its in the little mall .Its a small place but a lot of vaping things to see.Thanks guys 😊♿♥️

Awesome staff! Everytime Ive been in this establishment the employees greet you at the door to help wth your every need..so patient informative and educated on the newest vaping products, and if you cant make it in you can always go online or give them a call and they will mail it to your home awesome way to shop!

Awesome place me and my husband practically live there we’re there at least once a week Wallace, Rusty, Ben Are Super Cool & Nice If you Never capes before and want to try it head over it was our first store and only for 2 years now they helped us quit Cigarettes They don’t push items on you they’re honest about all of them I love them 😍

Pro: Staff is excellent. Very knowledgeable and helpful.They have a good selection of equipment and juice.Taste bar is the best Ive seen.Prices are lower than most.

Came in today looking for a specific GeekVape coil. Mateo at the counter was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Awesome service, will be back

Spencer and Jake are the best!!! Remembered me and everything! They have a huge selection and their new “Pod” strawberry snow cone is fire!

Love going here, the staff is super friendly and once you become a regular they know what you need as soon as you want in. Great selection, great prices, great people!

Extremely comfortable and greatly centered location. Staff is extremely friendly, honest, and helpful. Also the prices are a fantastic deal. Quality of products are pristine.

Absolutely amazing service! I went in for the first time and the gusy couldnt have been more helpful! Told them what i liked and they nailed it with their recommendations. Thanks!

Does not stand by their products. My wife and I have purchased quite a bit of vaping products. When one e cig battery went bad after under three months they would not exchange it. They told me there was a six month warranty when purchased, and informed me today that only 30 days in the store. WhAT?? The store deals with the distributor and can easily exchange a unit and clear up the financial issue with them better than a customer has the ability to do. We have always purchased our liquid and atomizer pods from them but not after this experience. There are countless vape shops chose one that will provide a positive customer service and strive for customer complete satisfaction and a positive relationship

Staff is always friendly and seems quite knowledge about the products they carry. Great selection of not only vape products but glass as well. Good prices too..

Pricing rivals that of online, and you dont have to pay shipping. Plus the staff so far has been great and very knowledge; they also offer a worthwhile rewards program.

Love this store. Wallace is always there to help with a friendly smile and great personality. Keep up the good work!!

Great store with great electronic devices and nice large e-juice selection. Staff is very knowledgeable in all areas including CBD. Which they also have a great selection of! Well priced!

Cant remember his name lol but hes Brazilian, he came through big time with the clutch extra pin for my tank saved me some cash. Really appreciate the staff overall. 10/10Edit: Thanks wallace

Never a bad experience at this location. Amazing staff, they know their products and can answer just about any questions you may have.

First time customer...great prices, selection and excellent customer service! Wallace was friendly, knowledgeable, and made my shopping experience a pleasure! Thanks!!

Wallace and Jeff are extremity knowledgeable on all things vaping. They show you how to use everything they sell. Great recommendations from them they know what they are talking about. I would give 1000000 starts if i could.

I freaking love this store, so helpful everytime. Theres a employee neamed Spencer that greets every customer by name! Literally is the best e cig store to date and I have been vaping a long time.much love!!

I usually frequent the South location but pop into this one if Im on this end of town. Staff is great and very knowledgeable. They can answer any questions you may have.

Excellent vape shop. Huge selection, fair prices. They also have a few roll-your-own and tobacco-related supplies. Staff is also very courteous and knowledgeable.

The guy who helped me with the 2 toned hair was super helpful and knew a lot. Super friendly guys I ran into.

Found this vape shop along my travels and have to say it’s one of the best setups I’ve been in. The two guys working were helpful and very respectful and made sure to explaina every devices They had and how they accommodate to each individual vapor. Will def be back. Thank you boys..

Were frequent shoppers here and we are always greeted with a friendly conversation and knowledgeable people working. Great prices and deals and always options to vape and try out before you buy.

Always a pleasure coming in here. Jeff is very knowledgeable and takes his time with you to ensure that you understand the product and what you are buying.

Wallace is a great sales person very knowledgeable, he can answer any question you have. Great staff though all of them are friendly

The staff was very helpful and accommodating. I highly recommend as the customer service was exceptional and the store was clean and organized.

Awesome place to sit back, chill, and try out some new vape juices. For $1 I sat there for a hour and tried over 30 different flavors to find the right one for me. Very impressed with this place.

Love shopping here for my smoking needs great atmosphere and wonderful staff. Wallace is a great employee who helps everyone and is kind to all I recommend to everyone i know to stop here 10/10 amazing!

City of Vapors is a class act and the only place I go for my vaping needs. To get there I drive several extra miles and I pass at least two other large vaping stores, but its worth it. Quality, selection and expertise are the reasons I go there.

This is a #1 go to store in Sarasota for all your vaping/smoking needs. Been going here for almost a year now and they have pretty much all you need, they dedicate time to you as a customer and have the expertise.

Real Nice!!great prices,the lowest prices in Sarasota.they really helped me out with finding the right products that I needed and gave me more knowledge on the whole vaping experience

Bought myself a disposable vape and when I opened it the vape was leaking and it stopped working. This is the second time it happened

Coolest guys around, very knowledgeable about everything in the store. If you plan on needing something that’s smoke shop related this smoke shop won’t miss!

I absolutely love this place. The staff is awesome extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Spencers the man! Definitely the MVP or MVE lol

Wallace is great! I walk in and he already knows my name and what I need. Highly recommend this vape shop to everyone!

Everyone that works there are very nice people they will help you with everything you need with a smile

Good selection of vapes and not over priced.

Walked in and met Cody and knew exactly what I needed and they actually carried them. big ups to him....he knows his stuff

Hey everyone just wanted to give mad kudos to Wallace for fixing my broken Evic vtc vape tank that was broken and he fixed it for me in like 5 minutes. Put this place at the top of your vape shop list!

Love this place. Wallace always knows what he is doing and always makes sure you leave happy with your purchase.

I love this city of vapors location they are super helpful and know there stuff i have got great customer service from walace he is my go to for any concerns or issues i have while he is also helping other customers this vape shop is the best

Great customer service, plenty of products to choose from and Wallace was great in helping me choose the best equipment for my vaporizer. Highly recommended, a great place to shop.

Wallace was awesome! Super knowledgeable and very welcoming, definitely one of the best shops

This place is great and the price is the best I have found locally on coils and juice for my vape! Spencer is my go to guy he has all the best suggestions!

Absolutely awesome n super knowledgeable guys that work here. I recommend that if you vape or smoke 😉 this is your one stop shop.

I was out of town on vacation. And the glass on my date broke. The staff at this store were very friendly and very helpful. I will be back

GPS takes you past the entrance of the plaza. You need to turn in at the Taco Bell entrance. Awesome shop with amazingly low prices.

Great prices, large variety of products. The staff is extremely knowledgeable & friendly.

Love this place. The staff absolutely rocks and the selection of goodies never disappoint. ✨

They are the only place that carries the flavor of E-juice that i like. So i love this place. They are clean and very nice people. Check it out.😉

Wallace helped me and was super awesome! Loved the experience there!! Thumbs up all the way

Spencer & Wallace were knowlegable and helpful! Great store with huge selection and awesome staff!

They are very knowledgeable. Im new to the whole Vape life and they got me started asap. Hooked a brother UPPPPPPP

Clean, friendly & fair pricing, as well as a wide variety!

Great service and knowledgeable staff! It’s nice to find a shop that’s serious about smoke.

Crazy quality service. Everyone who works here is either super nice or great actors. The outcome is the same!

Very knowledgeable people very friendly and was huge help on getting my wife started on road to quit smoking

Good environment and great service Wallace kept good company while testing flavors and had many funny stories

The owner was kind..but I was not impressed with the prices or inventory. Or that they didn’t have any way for me to taste what I was interested in.

Won’t be returning there! Worst customer service I have ever received at a vape shop!!! It was hilarious watching one employee try and flirt with a customer as he crashed and burned.

Love this place. Great selection of liquids and hardware. Wallace and the guys are awesome!

Super helpful and friendly staff. Answered all of my questions and provided a lot of knowledge. I recommend them !

Great customer service great selection. Many many different kinds of vape juices and vapes, mods etc.

My favorite vape shop hands down! The people are always good to you and know what they are talkikg about. Will take as much time with you as you need.

These guys are awesome and wont push you into something you dont want or need. Large juice selection!

Great customer service everyone is really cool and helpful. Points system is great too.

Greggs my homie! Always very knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly! Definitely a place to stop in and check out!

Trash place, sold me fake Ezzy ovals and didn’t give a receipt. Came back 30 mins later and they don’t remember me

Awesome Staff. Very knowledgeable on productsFast service. Highly recommended.

A large selection of juices and flavors. The staff is extremely helpful too. I definitely recommend!

Amazing. Great choices of e liquids and staff is very friendly and helpful. My regular vape store now.

Great service by the dudes here. Staff is great. Great selection of vape juices.

They always have all the electronic cigarette fluid that I need and are willing to order anything I ask they only suggest new fluids

Wallace was very nice had a good attitude and he had such pretty hair

Great employees very knowledgeable and helpful great prices. Rusty and Wallace.

Great selection helpful staff I always recommend this place when people ask where to find a good vape shop

The best selection of products paired with their superior knowledge makes this my #1 place for Vapor products

Very knowledgeable. If you sign up as a member (free) you can get discounts as you buy.

I enjoy coming to this store when I am in need of E-liquid or coils, very friendly staff, would recommend

Great place, Joe was very helpful and informative.We will definitely be back

Great people! Knowledgeable staff! Great selection! Stop in and see them!

Great vape shop. Employees are personable and knowledgeable

Helpful knowledgeable staff. In and out super quick. Highly recommend!

These guys are amazing, friendly and always have what we want

Awesome people and staff! Great standin l selection

Best selection in the area. The guys are very helpful with both new and experienced Vapers.

Helpful and friendly staff. Excellent selection of merchandise.

Amazing customer service and amazing variety for all vapor needs! My favorite shop by far!

Micah was a great employee and helped me with finding what I needed ! i recommend this store

Great atmosphere, friendly staff and decent prices. My go to place..

They have so many flavors and the devices are priced exceptionally well highly recommend

Really friendly and great prices. Huge selection of liquid and vape equipment.

Best vape shop in the area hands down. Large selection, very helpful staff.

My fault, my issue was with a different store.

Great customer service, super helpful and makes great recommendations

Awesome store amazing service Ben helped me get the right vape pen for the right price after wasting money buying junk everywhere else.

Outstanding employees! Great slection of juices! I will be returning 🤙🏼😍

Friendly and helpful staff. Clean store with lots of selection.

They have so many different products. Its a one stop shop for all you smoke shop needs.

Great shop & staff! Will definitely be back!

Love City of Vapors! Everyone is great and so helpful!! Great product too.

Very helpful and friendly staff definitely my favorite spot

Great prices!

Great selection friendly service

As best I can remember this place was great. Its a little hazy.

Pre-rolls are over priced to be CBD

Got a new vape works perfect! Wallace was very helpful.

Wallace and the whole staff have taken care of me over the span of a few years. Keeps me coming back!

Great dudes. Awesome selection and prices.

Very good store. A wide range of products!

Big selection of juice and very helpful. Wallace is always a big help.

Nice people helpful

Good people good prices convenient and good experiences

Super friendly & they know what they’re talking about!

Staff is very friendly and the prices are fair! Thank you!

Yeah these guys know there vape help you out in every way possible.

Awesome service Wallace is very helpful thank you guys

Knowledgeable staff, big range of every thing you need

Amazing shop!great vibes and amazing staff!

Go here 2 times a week friendly service

Very helpful and knowledgeable! Will be back for sure!

Awesome selection and very helpful staff.

Wally is the bomb. Always takes care of me! Make sure you visit!

Very knowledgeable staff, to help a first timer

Helpful as always!! Always have a great exsperience!!

Good prices and great staff

Fast, friendly, reasonable prices.

They are like friends to us!

👍

Great service excellent products.

Great staff! Very helpful!

They always go out of their way to help you out.

Decent prices and selection of e juices.

Joe is the best!!! Love him

Cody is the man to see for all your vape needs

They were very helpful.

Great selection of e-juices and vaping devices

Love the staff and selection of products

GREAT selection. PHENOMENAL STAFF KNOWLEDGE!!!!

Quality selection and friendly staff