Thanks for the heads up, and sorry you were dissatisfied with your experiences with NCCO.  It is a great reminder that you shouldn’t just take the word of anyone when it’s your stomach/vacation/life on the line.  Check your gear and food!

I've had pretty good experiences with the Ely outfitters I've used for the last 10 years (Williams & Hall, Wilderness Outfitters, Red Rock Store, and Piragis) though I've never gone the complete outfitting route as I have accumulated enough gear over the years to outfit my needs.  Sometimes it’s just a canoe or 2, maybe a tent, pack or other item we needed due to group size.

My take is that you should feel like you are a valuable customer, your business is appreciated, and you are welcome to return anytime, whether you are getting complete outfitting, partial, or just need a place to shower & sleep.  If I ever get the nerve to become an outfitter, that’s the way I’d have to run it if I wanted to stay in business.  I don’t know John Schiefelbein, but it sounds like he didn’t agree that as owner he is fully responsible for whatever his company does.  The buck stops with him, unless of course he’d rather that buck be spent elsewhere, preferably where the owners appreciate the customer and will go out of their way to keep that customer happy.