Local Customers Upset Over Homelife's Closing
One Customer Says He's Still Waiting For Furnature
JACKSONVILLE -- Out of the blue, Homelife Furniture is closing its 133 stores nationwide and filing for bankruptcy, leaving some customers of their two Jacksonville locations baffled.
HomeLife Furniture says that it's negotiating with lenders in hopes of obtaining the financing necessary to reopen. In a statement, the company says it doesn't have any firm date on when its stores will be back in business.
HomeLife says it has temporarily laid off its store personnel and has cut staff in its Illinois corporate offices until its financial problems have been resolved. The company has about 2,000 employees.
Some Jacksonville customers said that they were just in the store last week, looking for Fourth of July holiday sales.
"We were planning on buying some furniture and getting some good deals on couches. Now it's not going to happen," shopper Anthony Lentini said.
Other potential furniture buyers were turned away walking up to the door of the store to find them locked.
Some people like Charles Zufelz are upset and want answers now. He said that last month he bought a $500 chair that he still hasn't sat in.
"They try and want your business and what not, and you go in here and purchase a chair on order and all of a sudden the store's closed without no warning," Zufelz said.
The company is offering customers a toll-free number that they can dial and listen to a recorded message that will give them three options.
Officials say that if customers purchased by credit card or by cash, there's an option where they can log onto Homelife's Web site. Once they're logged on, there's a written apology and links to where they can read how to get a refund for undelivered products.
That same apology is also plastered on the glass doors of the Regency and Orange Park stores, the only two the company has in northeast Florida.
"I think it's a little disgrace because they sell pretty good furniture. I would hope that the store will open back up soon," shopper Jerry Palmer said.
The chain was once owned by Sears and has more than 130 stores in 26 states.
If you have questions, call their toll free number: 1-877-570-2336.
Copyright 2003 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Some Jacksonville customers said that they were just in the store last week, looking for Fourth of July holiday sales.
"We were planning on buying some furniture and getting some good deals on couches. Now it's not going to happen," shopper Anthony Lentini said.
Other potential furniture buyers were turned away walking up to the door of the store to find them locked.
Some people like Charles Zufelz are upset and want answers now. He said that last month he bought a $500 chair that he still hasn't sat in.
"They try and want your business and what not, and you go in here and purchase a chair on order and all of a sudden the store's closed without no warning," Zufelz said.
The company is offering customers a toll-free number that they can dial and listen to a recorded message that will give them three options.
Officials say that if customers purchased by credit card or by cash, there's an option where they can log onto Homelife's Web site. Once they're logged on, there's a written apology and links to where they can read how to get a refund for undelivered products.
That same apology is also plastered on the glass doors of the Regency and Orange Park stores, the only two the company has in northeast Florida.
"I think it's a little disgrace because they sell pretty good furniture. I would hope that the store will open back up soon," shopper Jerry Palmer said.
The chain was once owned by Sears and has more than 130 stores in 26 states.
If you have questions, call their toll free number: 1-877-570-2336.
Previous Stories:
- July 11, 2001: Homelife Furniture To Close Stores
Copyright 2003 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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