Complaint Review: Sofa Showcase - Carolina Furniture Direct - Prestige Furniture - Woodbridge New Jersey

These people were originally called Sofa Showcase and had several stores, you can search on that name. Thanks to Nancy of Fanwood, I saw the same patterns happening to me. I called the manufacturer, who said "that's odd", then told me they had stopped delivery to that store. I knew what had happened, they didn't pay the furniture manufacturer, they had moved their store from 225 Route 22, Greenbrook NJ, to 181 Route 1, Woodbridge (they are in the small strip mall with Sleepy's & Jenifer Sofa). I immediately found the address and went to the store.

At first I looked around in the store, and a person came up to me and said 'Hi, I'm Bobby, you can call me Uncle Bobby, and I can help you get whatever you want. Even if you see something that's not out here." He then asked me if I saw anything I liked, and I told him there was one Chaise Lounge and chair. I then told him that I had actually ordered it at their other store on 22. His demeanor changed immediately and he said, "what store, 22? What you had some problem? I'm just a salesman here and I'm helping these people". There were four other people in the front area, then I told him that I knew they were called Sofa Showcase, and that they had a 250 person law suit against them.

That they were taking the consumer's money and not delivering, and that I wanted a refund immediately, based on their past business practices, I would not have it drag on and on. He then turns and says me "You are a sneaky b***h aren't you". All of the people in the store including the sales person who was there were shocked, then the other sales person Sandy got up and said we can get you a refund. This Bobby person then turns his back to me and says "you're too hysterical, I won't talk to you". Before that he tried to bump into me like a high school kid would do trying to start a fight. The fact is I did not raise my voice at all, but his response more than confirmed my initial impression.

A lawsuit was filed against them by the Monmouth County Prosecuter's office, it is Docket #MONC232-02. The principal is a person named Joe Dweck, and Shaya Waldman. The Sofa Showcase stores in Union, Edison, East Brunswick, Greenbrook, and Eatontown are also named, however they filed for banckruptcy. Since they did this under the Sofa Showcase name and they were able to open again as Carolina Furniture Direct with all new credit lines. Even though the lawsuit has a restraining order which keeps them from taking consumer assets, or disposing of any of their ill-gotten goods. They take the name of a company they believe people will think of as reputable, and North Carolina Direct had a good reputation, prior to about a year ago.

Under Sofa Showcase they are obligated to pay any creditors that can find them followed lastly by the consumers they ripped off. They even ripped off the property managers (their landlords). Basically it's a free pass for them.

They had stores under Carolina Furniture in East Brunswick and Greenbrook, as far as I know. In late July of 2003, early August, they closed East Brunswick and moved again from the Greenbrook store to Route 1,and are now calling themselves Prestige Furniture.

I was able to get my money back because 1) it was past the agreed refund date which was Aug 22. By contract it was clearly stated I had the option of a refund, which I found is law in NJ, this must be on all furniture contracts. 2) They wrote me a check with insufficient funds, and I returned on the fifth time at the Woodbridge store with a Woodbridge officer to take the criminal bad check complaint. I fully intended to file a charge against them.

They found someone to give them the actual cash money for me. But this will continue if people don't stand up and do what they can to stop it. If you have been a victim, contact you county prosecutor with as much information as possible. If you have the time and where-with-all picket their location. If you can't get you're money back you should at least save another person, and cause them your money's worth of aggravation, because these are sub-humans.

They prey on the elderly, and unknowing, people they don't think will fight back. The laws are designed to protect the business man, but they are even making a mockery of the laws, the Prosecutor's offices, and the consumers. What is needed is for one good Prosecutor to realize that this type of parasite needs to have the book thrown at them, because they have worked their way through all of Central Jersey's counties, and are laughing at the law, and the consumer equally.

This Bobby told me his name was Bobby Grant (he gave me his name too quickly, I believe it is Bobby with a G). In any event he is the one who sets up the scheme and seems to oversee the day to day operations. In other web complaints they reference someone who called himself the same thing 'Uncle Bobby'. But Joe is still the owner, as I found out in talking to others in the area.

Write the town council of Woodbridge, as well as Middlesex and Somerset County Prosecuters. These people have to be stopped by the decent people of New Jersey.

Barbara

Scotch Plains, New Jersey
U.S.A.

Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Carolina Furniture