I too am a customer in a similar situation with Discount Blind and Shade Factory. I signed a contract on 11-22-05 with Manley, and was told that they were a little behind, but my shutters would be completed in 8-10 weeks. He told me that if I paid upfront that they would pay the tax. I paid them $5567.00 with a check, so that I would have proof that I paid. I figured if anything, someone might try to say that I did not pay. I never dreamed this would happen. When I tried to call them back to get them a stain sample and check the status, that is when I descovered that all of the phone numbers have been disconnected. I was told like many others that they had filed bankrupcy.
After coming to this site, I began investigating on my own to find out what was going on.in an attempt to get ahold of someone, I called Shutters USA and asked for Manley. At first the guy said he was not there but he could take a message. When I asked when would be a better time to reach him, he advised me that Manley no longer worked there. (I am not sure why he was offering to leave a message for someone who was not employed there.) He asked if he could help and I explained the situation. The man stated that they had nothing to do with Discount Blind and Shade Factory. I called back today asking for the owners so that I could get some answers and a woman there offered to take a message for David.
About an hour ago, Ken Montoya called my cell phone and explained to me that he had my contract in front of him. First he told me my sutters were ordered, then when I asked how to get them, he proceded to explain to me how they actually had not been ordered because Discount Blind and Shade Factory never paid the company that made the blinds the required deposit to order the blinds. Durring our conversation, I asked why he took money from me for a contract that his company never entended to fill? His response was that they had no idea that the company was having trouble until mid December, which I have a hard time beleiving.
When I questioned him about the other two companies in question, his response was that both himself and Kristen Wolf have nothing to do with thte ownership of Shutters USA and North American Shutters. He said that their lawyer advised him that he could not open a new business if they wanted their bankrupcy to go through. He did admit however that all parties in quetion Ken Montoya, Kristen Wolf, etc. Are now working for new blind companies just not as owners. He then challenged me to fing any document proving ownership.
Next I asked which Chapter they were filing and he advised me Chapter 7, so we have even less of a chance of getting anything back. I asked him for his attouney's information and he refused stating that he did not have to disclose that to me. I stated that if he was filing bankrupcy that he should probably give out his lawyer's name so that we cound countact the right people. He disclosed the name, Tom Allen, but refused to give anything else.
In the end, the owners of Discount Blind and Shade Factory may not have any ownership in North American Shutters or Shutters USA, but they definately work there if that was the way I got ahold of them. I feel that by hiring these ex-employees of Discount Blind and Shade Factory, it show the lack of integrity in the two new companies.
So doing business with those new companies, you will be dealing with the same people who riped us off. I think that the best thing that we can do now is make sure that both North American Shutters and Shutters USA get the same negative publicity to run them out of business.
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