Jan. 6, 2000

Dozens of people are wondering what's next after a contemporary furniture store suddenly shut its stores in both Salt Lake and Provo. Keith McCord reports from Trolley Square.

The store is called Urban Chic. There's one store at Trolley Square, and one in Provo. Both are locally-owned. Last Sunday, in the middle of the night, the owners emptied the stores lock, stock and barrel.

Kevin Ireland, Trolley Square General Manager: "No phone call, no signage, no 'going out of business.' Just what we call a 'midnight run.'"

When Trolley Square General Manager Kevin Ireland came to work Monday morning, he found the doors of "Urban Chic" locked and the floors bare.

Ireland: "They came in in the middle of the night. They had about four U-Haul trailers, according to my security staff, that pulled up, and they brought a group of people in, loaded 'em, and pulled out."

The same thing happened at the store in Provo, at the Riverwoods complex. The sad thing is that, just hours before the stores were cleaned out, both were open and taking orders for furniture and other household items during regular business hours last Sunday.

The State Consumer Affairs office, which is trying to track down the owners, has received dozens of calls from customers.

Francine Giani/Division of Consumer Affairs: "We'd certainly like to find out exactly what occured with the people who made the purchases, what they were told. Obviously, they did not know the business was closing, or they might have re-thought their purchase."

"Urban Chic" opened at Trolley Square in July of 1998, one of many new unique stores in the square. It had a prime location--and, at roughly 9,000 square feet, it was the largest store in the center! And, business seemed to be going well! Ireland: "No question, no question. The community liked them, the shoppers liked it. And they were doing well. They had great products."

Giani: "We have lots of questions, but don't have a lot of answers. But we're on top of it."

The Consumer Affairs Office tells us that this is quite a mess. It looks like the partners are squabbling. Two of them admitted to taking all the furniture, because a third partner has all the money! Now the lawyers are arguing with each other.