Vendors at an antique store that shutdown abruptly are outraged after they say the owner took their money and disappeared.
Last week, people began removing their items from Timeless Treasures Antique Mall in Claycomo.
Jamie Sally, manager of the store, said people were in a hurry to get their belongings out after the owner, Stuart Smith, told them he filed for bankruptcy.
The dealers get paid every two weeks for their items that sell. They pay Smith rent every month in return for providing them with a space to put their items on display.
However, Sally told the 41 Action News investigators Smith will not pay any of the vendors for the items they sold in the past two weeks, which equaled more than $12,000.
"We called all the dealers that we could and just told them to come in as soon as they can. We don't know when the management company [will] close the doors," Sally said.
The 41 Action News investigators did some checking. There was no record of bankruptcy on file for Smith.
Efforts to reach Smith, which included phone calls and multiple visits to his home, were unsuccessful.
The 41 Action News investigators also reached out to the company that manages the building but didn't hear back from them either.
The vendors say problems began last year when Smith took ownership of the mall. They say he raised the costs of their rent within his first month.
"It's been a great mall and I'm sorry to the dealers that have been here since it opened over 25 years [ago]," Sally said. "They just don't know what to do."
Editor's Note: A previous version of this story stated Timeless Treasures Antique Mall was located in Liberty. It is located in Claycomo.
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Jessica McMaster can be reached at jessica.mcmaster@kshb.com.
