Empire Today - New Orleans, LA

Description of Work: Nothing. Never showed up to scheduled appointment

Description of Work: Complaint is made against Empire Today, LLC, a Delaware flooring company qualified in Louisiana. Our house was destroyed in the August flood. My wife and I and our ten-year-old daughter have for weeks now been back home, but living without carpet on bare concrete floors. This is a complaint of intentional misrepresentation and fraud in the inducement. On Wednesday, 8 March 2017, Empire's representative came to my home to take measurements. She showed me a book of carpet samples to choose from. I made a selection and was assured that the carpet was in stock. We were promised installation two days later on Friday, 10 March. Our general contractor paid over $3,000 for the carpet from Empire. Friday 10 March came and went. No installer or carpet ever came. I called the company and was promised Monday, 13 March. On Monday, no one came. Late on Monday, I was promised Wednesday, 15 March . Stood up again. So on Wednesday they promised installation Friday 17 March. When Friday, 17 March, no sign of an installer. Like on previous days, I was kept home by being told, "He's on his way." He never made it. So this time I called Keith Weinberger, CEO of Empire Today, LLC, in Northlake, Illinois. Voicemail. He had his regional manager in Atlanta call me. Mr. Sherwin absolutely promised me that the carpet would absolutely be delivered and installed first thing this morning, Monday, 20 March. After having again been told that the installer was on his way, I was once again stood up today, Monday, for now a total of five times. They are now promising Tuesday, 21 March. They've now offered to cut the price in half. I'd rather have back the five days of my life that they stole. I am a lawyer and my wife is a registered nurse. We have things to do other than to wait full days upon full days for this company. This is not incompetence. Empire Today's conduct is intentional. The company knows customers will deal with whatever carpet supplier will promise to complete the installation the soonest. To get the sale, they give an early appointment knowing they will not keep it. Their sales rep knew or should have known that the date she gave was impossible. That is intentional misrepresentation, also called fraud in the inducement. Fraud is illegal and actionable. Empire Today, LLC, has the following information: Empire Today, LLC 333 Northwest Avenue Northlake, Illinois 60164-1604 The CEO is Keith R. Weinberger, and his phone is 800 588 2300, Ext. 5283. You’ll need to plow through their phone menu, speak to an operator, and ask for Extension 5283. Mr. Weinberger did not return my call himself, but he had Tim Sherwin do so. His phone is 770 267-0343. Mr Sherwin says he will try to help, but enough of my days have been wasted so far to justify this complaint even if they now begin keeping their word. I hope they can succeed, but after so many broken promises and the initial misrepresentation, my trust is low.