GARRARD COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — A criminal investigation is underway into a Garrard County furniture store, after customers report that they weren’t given any warning about the store’s closure.
Rocky Top Furniture has been evicted from the property. The specialty wood furniture store was started by the Mitchell family, but they sold it in 2015 to Cardinal Industries. Cardinal’s attorney says it was sold again, to Alvan McQueen, right around the time a fire broke out there in July of this year.
The Garrard County attorney’s office confirms there is an investigation into the current owner. Garrard County police executed a search warrant at the business Monday night.
LEX 18 was recently contacted by customers who say they are out tens of thousands of dollars after the business closed without fulfilling orders.
Greg Beagle of Northern Kentucky is one of the many customers who ordered custom wood furniture from the business, which has been featured on the DIY Network.
Beagle told LEX 18 that he has spent $24,000 to furnish his new dream home. He said he had no concerns, despite the July fire, but he started getting worried when no one answered or returned his calls last week.
Beagle then saw an article from a Knoxville Media Outlet about the Pigeon Forge location closing.
A look at reviews online show other customers with similar experiences over the last few months, some even writing that they paid but that their furniture never showed up. LEX 18’s Kylen Mills paid a visit to the store Monday and ran into the business founder and current property owner.
Tommy Mitchell broke down in tears, saying that he sold the store in good faith and that he’s heartbroken for the customers now flooding him with calls trying to get answers.
His attorney told LEX 18 that we should know more information soon, but for now, she wants people to know that Rocky Top Furniture is not owned by Mitchell and that customers with issues should contact the Garrard County attorney.
