TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin From the QueenofSXM with Love & Appreciation

I really am at a loss as to how to start this post since I feel such a great sadness in having to write it. The Queen of SXM Cell Phone Rentals is closing as of the end of June 2017. I feel so badly about the customers who depend on me but it is time for me to spend more time with my husband & family. I love this business so much but it is all consuming & it has consumed me for 14 years. I have missed so many family events, etc. & I just feel the need to not miss anymore as time is passing quickly.

I tried my best to find someone to take over the business who would give the same level of commitment to the customers that I always did but unfortunately I was unable to do that so I am forced to just close the doors. I don’t even have another business to refer you to because there is no one else on island that does what I did. Should this change I will make sure to let everyone know.

The cell phone business has greatly changed over these last 14 years & my services are not in as much demand as they had been, however it still demands 7 days a week & 365 days a year. I have had 5 days off in the last 14 years & those were for surgeries so yes I am tired. I am taking care of all customers who requested phones through June even if the return is in July but nothing after June.

I want to thank Carol & Eric for this forum because it is what made my little hobby into a pretty big business with lightening speed. It really happened so fast thanks to TTOL & the many, many wonderful customers that came to me from here.

I will miss all of you but I will still be on island during the winter months & I would love to see everyone when they are here. This business brought people from all over the world to my store & I have many memories to hold dear. I am keeping my email address so any previous customer who wants to contact me can still do so through the usual channel & as always if I can help I will…

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart & Doris sends her heartfelt thanks to everyone as well. We have made a lot of friends over the years & probably a few enemies as well but it was all worth it.

Sharon
QueenofSXM

Sharon, I'm sad to hear you're closing; but happy for you that you will now be able to enjoy more time with your family. Having been your customer for many years, I'll miss seeing you in that capacity; but I sure hope our times on the island will continue to coincide and we can enjoy more great dinner conversation, along with the special service that accompanying The Queen to a restaurant grants us <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />.

Our best wishes to you in the future. You've definitely earned your retirement!

Good luck going forward and thanks for all the service and convenience you have provided. Back before you started I would borrow a spare cell phone from my island friend. I know I will miss what you have provided.

Best wishes to you! We had very little to do with your success. You succeeded because you provide great service, without equal. I am sad for your customers but I am SO happy for you, that you will be able to enjoy life more. Take care. Hope to see you soon.

This says it all!

Dear Sharon,

You have provided so much to so many over the years, and that goes far beyond the scope of just renting us phones. I know you will be happy spending more time with Mike and Jericho (and the rest of your family, too......) but please know how much you will be missed by all of your many clients from around the world.

We will still look forward to seeing you at the beach or over a shared dinner, right?

Much happiness to you in the future and thanks for all the great memories from the past.

Thanks Sharon, we will miss you and your phones.........at work.

Sharon, didn't realize that you would be closing so soon! It really was great to see you and to share some authentic German food!! Although we haven't been customers for a few years it is thru TTOL that we got to know you. You offered a one of a kind service and will be dearly missed by many! We wish you all the best in your retirement! Enjoy that little grandson!!

Happy for You.... Sad for Us. Excellent service always provided by You and Staff. Best to you and All your Family Tom and Dianne

Sharon, I am so happy for you!! Time to enjoy your family for sure. Time goes by too fast!

We will miss your great service and your help in many other ways. You have become a special friend.

Hopefully we will still see you for dinner, lunch, hell breakfast!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Wishing you all the best! I am one of your customers and always appreciated your help and wonderful service. You will be greatly missed by all of us that used your business. Enjoy!

You will be missed Sharon both professionally and personally. Good luck with "retirement" and enjoy your time off with family & friends.

I sent you an email.

Sharon - you really ran a fantastic business - great service - even helping us out when it had nothing to do with your phone! We wish you all the very best! David

Sharon, We'll miss your great service, but very happy for you! Enjoy retirement!!

Sharon, congratulations and best wishes for a happy healthy retirement! You have made a wise decision at this time in your life and now it is time to take good care of yourself as you have so well taken care of others for so long. I have appreciated your wonderful service over the years and look forward to your continued friendship in the years ahead. You are a very special lady and I understand why nobody would ever try to fill your shoes by taking over your business. Closing the business is the best thing to do as it provides the end to that chapter and looking forward to moving on to the next chapter of life. I have encouraged another very good friend to do this, but so far she has not made the decision. Life is short; enjoy every moment!

All the best for a happy and healthy well deserved retirement! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Enjoy your retirement.

Dear Sharon,

I was wondering why I had not heard from you when I requested a rental for mid July.

I am saddened that we will not have your valuable service any longer, but happy for your "retirement" I thank you for your services provided in the past. To me they were invaluable.

Best of luck to you and your Family

I am so happy for you and sad for all of us. But you are doing this for the right reasons, and I know you will enjoy more time with your family. I look forward to finally meeting you in person next week. Thank you for all the years of great service.

Sorry to hear this but you should check with Bob. I will give him a call for you.

yes --there will definitely be a hole in our sxm tapestry now-----but --time waits for no one ---enjoy your new found ''freedom''--you and doris were always there for us ---will miss the icy stares from doris --until the ice melted and a very warm person emerges---bon voyage for the rest of your journey.

We have always enjoyed working with you and Doris, and being neighbors at the Royal Palm, I hope we will see you occasionally as we have in the past. Good luck, good health and pleasure should await you. Lots of giant hugs! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />
Eve, Julius and Emily Gold

Topics like this make getting old troubling to say the least. However, they also give us an opportunity to thank people and allow them to reciprocate. Your service has been outstanding and we will certainly miss especially it since we are not into more modern phones. Hope to see you at a TTOL party or around the island and give our thanks in person. Great job, thanks.

Bob & Dot

What can I say that all the previous posters have not already said? You are the best and will be missed by all that have done business with you but the time has come for you to rest, spend all your time with your family and enjoy every precious moment with them. Stay well Sharon and God bless.

Thanks Sharon for all you did to make my trips to SXM complete. Enjoy your retirement and the grandkids and your husband. Perhaps we'll see you in Denver airport or/and hopefully you'll come to my February SXM Lovers Get Together if you're on island.

Thanks for your great service thru the years...happy retirement!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" />

Enjoy the next phase of Life. Your service will be missed. What is Doris going to do now?

A practical question. I purchased a Chippie top up card from you, and would replenish once a year when I came down. Doris had indicated I couldn't go to just any location to add value but must come to your store. Is this correct? If it is, your closing makes this even worse! I put one of your SIM cards in my phone and keep my island number active.

I have the same setup, Leona. I wonder if we can add money to our cards online, at the same site where we add money to the phone to keep our number active?

When we were there last December, I stupidly left my phone on my beach chair and it was stolen. Sharon sent me to the UTS location near Izi to get a new sim card and get my old one cancelled. Maybe we can add funds to our cards there?

Hey Georgia, I think I've explored the Top-Up website to attempt adding to the main card...didn't see that ability. I know Doris would swipe the card and I would have to enter the PIN to add $$.

I'd rather not get a new SIM as that would change my number.

Georgia, you can add money to your phone at the Mailbox. I have done it many times. I think you can also do it online at Chippie.com

When my phone was stolen, the UTS store was able to disable the old sim card and enable a new one for me, keeping the same phone number. But I do know that if you don't add money from the card to your phone on a regular basis that you lose that number. I think it's 90 days, but I do it every 60 days, just to be sure.

Elizabeth, is adding money to the phone the same as adding it to the Top Up card?

I did send Sharon an email asking these questions, but I'm sure she's inundated with emails now, so I expect it to be a while before I hear back from her.

Sharon........ thanks for the many years of great dependable service. Enjoy your retirement....you earned it!!

Yes, same thing.

I'm honestly not seeing anywhere to add $$ to the card.

https://xtremetopup.net/IGC_CardMemberServices.aspx

You need to go to chippieonline.com

www.buychippieonline.com

I believe that you need to send your card number to them with the payment.

If you are in the US and want to deposit money on your RTC, please send your money order or certified check:.
Xtreme Business Concepts Inc
Att: TopUp Payments
12200 West Colonial Dr
Suite 300j Winter Garden, Florida. 34778

I have not disappeared & I have no plans on doing so but I have been an emotional wreck the last few days because of all the kind & wonderful things written to me. Additionally Doris is pretty sick with the flu & high BP so I have been working the store as well.

I am talking to the deli owner at Royal Palm to see if they want to sell Top Up for Chippie & if they do then you will be able to Top Up your cards there. It is not something that has to be done by us but apparently many of the superettes either don't know how or just don't want to use the cards.

I will be answering all emails tomorrow so please be patient. I am also now speaking to a few people who have expressed their interest in taking over the business which would make me so very happy....

Thank you all so very much for the kind words, good wishes & friendship.

With much love,
Sharon

Hey Sharon, you did great, you ARE great (bigger than life always!)... we love you and hope to see you next winter!

Sharon--all the praise is deserved. Funny how people often don't praise others, but are quick to lodge complaints.

I do hope that possibly you might be able to sell the business after all.

Yeah......what Carol said!!!