"BMy daughter Beverly and I (Elizabeth) went looking for a reclining sofa and a wall hugger recliner chair starting in December of 2012. We looked at Hudson’s, Ashley’s, Days and Badcock furniture stores. We did also go to Tarpon Furniture in Hudson, Florida after seeing an ad in the paper. At that time we saw a Westside wall hugger recliner that we liked in the store after we tried the chairs they had. Melinda Poirier was the salesperson who helped us. We then decided to go back and buy the sofa elsewhere. We could not find a wall hugger that fit us at other stores.
In January 2014, we looked all over again. On January 16th, 2014, we went back to Tarpon Furniture to try again. Melinda Poirier, who was our salesperson, again helped us. We told her the first time and again this second time that we needed a wall hugger recliner with a handle on the side. We repeated this several times as we looked and tried out each chair. We also told her we wanted genuine leather. We tried the peach colored chair by Southern Motion. Melinda said “that they do not stock chairs because it cost too much to inventory. But, they could get it from the manufacturer in any color we wanted. The delivery would take 4-6 weeks. The manufacturer, Southern Motion makes the chairs and builds it for us as soon as it is requested”. Melinda checked her books and with another employee for the color samples and to make sure the chair came with the handle on the side. Melinda said that it did and the female employee said that the Southern Motion rockers and wall huggers all come with a handle on the side. We asked for a handle every time we tried a chair. Melinda also asked for half the money down for deposit. Beverly and I each paid $192.50 each on our credit cards ($385.00). We would not have bought this #2150 Southern Motion, wall hugger recliner if it did not have the handle on the side.
We then waited and I called to see where the chair was. I was told that there was a delay due to the weather in Mississippi, where they make the furniture. I waited and called again and was told it was on the truck to Florida. I called again and was told it would be delivered to Tarpon Furniture on Tuesday or Thursday and to us on Saturday. The chair was delivered Friday, March 7th, 2014.
When the two men on the delivery truck came in with the chair and sat it down the chair rocked slightly. I could see the rocker frame. I told them it was not the stationery wall hugger recliner we wanted or requested, it would have to go back. They driver then called the office and talked to someone. The driver said they would leave the chair so that we would have a chair to sit on. Then he left. We then received a call from the office. They told me they would not leave the (wrong #1150 chair) unless I paid the balance on the chair while we waited on the correct chair to come. I told them NO – come and get the chair.
On Saturday, March 8th, 2014 we went into the store to see Melinda and make sure the shipment did not get goofed up again. We again sat down with Melinda, Beverly, my 2 Grandchildren and myself to hopefully get the correct chair this time. Melinda, said that she got the wrong (#1150) number when she looked the chair up in the books. She said that they would pick up the wrong chair at no cost and correct the number to #2150. Again, it would take 4 to 6 weeks for delivery of the correct chair. We again asked #2150 if this chair came (wall hugger recliner) with a handle on the side. We were again told by Melinda that YES, all the rockers and wall huggers come with a handle. Bruce Weintraub, owner of Tarpon Furniture and Spring Hill Furniture Inc said “to put the wrong chair #1150 on the floor to sell”.
On April 24th/25th, I called to see when the correct chair #2150 would be delivered. I was told that the truck had taken the chair to the wrong warehouse and they would have to pick it up. The chair #2150 (without handle) was delivered on April 28th 2014. The drivers brought the chair in and placed it for me. The drivers did a good job and were polite. The driver stayed inside with me while the other man went back into the truck. The driver asked me to call the office to finish paying for the chair $384.33 on my Visa card. He sat in the chair and put the feet up and lay back in the chair while I was on the phone. He said “they had another delivery before us of the same color of furniture and they were a good seller”. I did not see the other side of the chair; it was turned away from me. He put the chair down and had to go, took the paperwork and left.
I sat down in the chair after he left. I tried to put the chair open and recline. I could not find the handle on the side of the chair. I then tried to push open the chair to no avail. I tried again and my right hand hit something hard down inside the chair. I reached down inside and there was a pull handle with a string to open the chair. I had to pull hard to open it. I went outside to see if I could catch the truck but it had left by the time I went outside.
When I told Beverly what happened. My daughter came inside and tried the chair too, she said it hit her in the wrong place and hurt her back. We changed our clothes and went to the store April 28th, that afternoon. I called Melinda and told her it was the wrong chair. Melinda said “she never remembered that conversations, the chair comes that way, they do not do returns and I am stuck with it.” When we walked into the store Melinda and another blonde lady were waiting. We all sat down and talked. Melinda again said “she does not remember the conversations about the handle on the side.” The blonde lady said “rockers and wall huggers come with handles.” When she found out that the chair in question was a wall hugger – she shut up. Melinda said they would not return the chair. They both told us that the #1150 (first chair) we returned that they put on the floor had sold. We cannot believe Melinda does not remember the many times we specified a handle on the side of the chair. Melinda is flat out telling a lie. We want our money back and nothing to do with Tarpon Furniture. They kept arguing with us and we left.
We left the store and came home. Later that afternoon April 28th, I called the store and asked for the owner Bruce Weintraub. I had to call him three times before I was able to talk to him. He told me that he had been in business for 30 years and he always tried to make his customers happy. I explained “to him that it was the wrong chair, without a handle.” He said “that is the way the chair comes.” I said “that it does not have the same height back as the peach chair on display.” He explained to me again how the chair must be broken in. I knew about this before. He wanted me to measure the chair and he would do the same to the peach chair on display. I was to call him on April 29th after 10:00am with the measurements. He said “Melinda does not remember the conversations about the handle on the side. That I say I did tell her and she says does not remember. That he is in the middle.” I explained “that Melinda had checked the books and with someone else and they said that rockers and wall huggers come with handles”. Bruce said “he does not do refunds”. I agreed to call him on the 29th the next day. I wanted to do some research on him.
The next day April 29th, I called Bruce back. It took several calls back; I had to leave a message for him to call me back. Bruce called me. We again repeated the conversation we had on the 28th several times. He said that he would be willing to give me a power as it only cost him $50.00. I said NO, I do not want power. I only wanted the handle on the side. I told him that I wanted him to pick up the chair and give me a full refund. Bruce said “he does not do refunds”. I asked him why he does not do refunds. He could not give me a reason. He would not refund my money back to me. He again went back over the whole previous conversation. He again refused to give to use a refund. I then told him that I had gone to the bank and we had disputed the charges on the credit card (Visa). He said “do you know how this works?” You dispute to Visa, they send me the notice, I send the copies of the paperwork and you can dispute again and I will do the same for as long as you want and at the end all you will have is the chair”. Yes, I know how the dispute works. I told him again I wanted the chair picked up and a refund. I also “told him I wanted nothing to do with him or his company because of how they do business.” I feel they are dishonest and lie, anything to make money. They do not care if they hurt people.
I wound up in the ER with blood pressure 216/114. The doctor tried to bring it down with medication. When I left it was 212/80. I am 76 years old and I do not need this. This was in the afternoon of the 29th of April. Thank you Bruce Weintraub, owner of Tarpon Furniture and employees.
If you go online to check out the owner and his company. You will find a multitude of complaints about them. He has or had several companies’ complaints and lawsuits: BBB West Florida, People Claim, Yelp, Pasco County Civil Court, and division of Consumer Services. Companies listed Bruce D. Weintraub, Tarpon furniture, West Coast Furniture, Spring Hill Furniture Corporation.
We checked Tarpon Furniture web site, the Southern Motion chairs were all on display. The chair #2150 was included and it showed a handle on the side. Also, Southern Motion site, J&J Site, Hudson’s site, Wolf’s site all showed the handle on the side. I am sure that we could find more disputes. This man needs to be put out of business; he should not be allowed to prey on the Public."