A sudden business closure is costing some Iowans their hard-earned money.Customers and former employees of The Stone Shop in Ankeny are at a loss.Tim and Kate Jennett are moving into a new home for their family of four. So they picked out new countertops from The Stone Shop in Ankeny.In October, they had to pay half the total cost of the project as a down payment. “It was about, $4,500,” Tim Jennett said.In May, the Jennetts say they were ready to have the new countertops delivered.”I called them and emailed them and no response,” Tim Jennett said. Days went by with no response, he said, so they started looking for answers.They found out The Stone Shop had closed.Their money and promised countertops were missing.”We’ve worked hard to get to this point,” Kate Jennett said. “We trusted these people to provide a service for us and they really let us down.” Their dream home by the pond with a playground for the kids is now on hold.”We’re out of the money and we’re trying to get a house built,” Tim Jennett said. KCCI also spoke with Gwen Norland, who was a sales manager at The Stone Shop. She said the business was trending in the wrong direction then, on one May morning, the owner didn’t show up and nobody could get ahold of him.A few days later there was a note from the landlord on the door saying rent had not been paid.Employees were locked out with their things still inside.Norland says she still hasn’t received her final paycheck.Now, she’s concerned about customers who made down payments and still have open orders. “Why did you do this to all the customers who believed in you?” Norland wonders.The Jennetts were among them.”It wasn’t just us, there’s other people out there this happened to,” Kate Jennett said. “A lot of families are hurting. This is tough times and to be mistreated this way is unfortunate.”KCCI reached out to the owner and did not hear back.According to the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office, The Stone Shop’s business registration expired on July 17, and it is listed as an “inactive” business.The Iowa Attorney General’s Office sent KCCI a statement saying they’ve received complaints regarding the closing of The Stone Shop in Ankeny.They encourage anyone affected by it to contact the Attorney General’s office.
A sudden business closure is costing some Iowans their hard-earned money.
Customers and former employees of The Stone Shop in Ankeny are at a loss.
Tim and Kate Jennett are moving into a new home for their family of four.
So they picked out new countertops from The Stone Shop in Ankeny.
In October, they had to pay half the total cost of the project as a down payment.
“It was about, $4,500,” Tim Jennett said.
In May, the Jennetts say they were ready to have the new countertops delivered.
“I called them and emailed them and no response,” Tim Jennett said.
Days went by with no response, he said, so they started looking for answers.
They found out The Stone Shop had closed.
Their money and promised countertops were missing.
“We’ve worked hard to get to this point,” Kate Jennett said. “We trusted these people to provide a service for us and they really let us down.”
Their dream home by the pond with a playground for the kids is now on hold.
“We’re out of the money and we’re trying to get a house built,” Tim Jennett said.
KCCI also spoke with Gwen Norland, who was a sales manager at The Stone Shop. She said the business was trending in the wrong direction then, on one May morning, the owner didn’t show up and nobody could get ahold of him.
A few days later there was a note from the landlord on the door saying rent had not been paid.
Employees were locked out with their things still inside.
Norland says she still hasn’t received her final paycheck.
Now, she’s concerned about customers who made down payments and still have open orders.
“Why did you do this to all the customers who believed in you?” Norland wonders.
The Jennetts were among them.
“It wasn’t just us, there’s other people out there this happened to,” Kate Jennett said. “A lot of families are hurting. This is tough times and to be mistreated this way is unfortunate.”
KCCI reached out to the owner and did not hear back.
According to the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office, The Stone Shop’s business registration expired on July 17, and it is listed as an “inactive” business.
The Iowa Attorney General’s Office sent KCCI a statement saying they’ve received complaints regarding the closing of The Stone Shop in Ankeny.
They encourage anyone affected by it to contact the Attorney General’s office.