CT customers and employees left without answers after Wren Kitchens shuts down US showrooms immediately
(WFSB) – Customers are out of tens of thousands of dollars, and more than three dozen employees are out of a job after Wren Kitchens suddenly shut down.
We’re told the UK based company told employees Thursday afternoon, they were closing US stores and showrooms immediately.
The I-Team spoke with several employees and customers Friday, who all said they had no idea this was happening.
Melissa Dethlefsen gave the I-Team a tour of her now gutted kitchen. A kitchen ready for new cabinets and countertops she ordered from Wren Kitchens, $23 thousand dollars’ worth. Cabinets and countertops that were supposed to be delivered this upcoming Wednesday.
“As a family of five, it’s been hard to live in one room essentially. S to be so close and then to have it ripped away, is it’s like devastating,” says Melissa.
Late Thursday night, Melissa got a call from her contractor telling her Wren Kitchens had shut down, and that she most likely would not be getting those cabinets anymore.
Former employees tell the I-Team, the UK-based employer told everyone on a Zoom call around 3 PM Thursday; they were closing all US showrooms and stores effective immediately.
Anes Hodzic worked as a manager in the Newington showroom and said they locked the doors by 4 PM.
“No one got any pink slips. No one got anything. Once they walked out of the offices, all the computers went black, black screens,” says Anes Hodzic.
Hodzic said he got his last paycheck Friday. At the same time, he found out he no longer has insurance.
“We got nothing regarding customers, regarding some sort of severance for the employees, nothing really,” says Hodzic.
Melissa says she hasn’t heard from Wren at all either. She says she paid Wren by debit card and check. Her bank is now investigating, but she isn’t sure what they can do.
On Wren’s website, it tells her and other customers to fill out a form, but she doesn’t expect an answer. Melissa said she did connect with someone at the UK offices this morning but ….
“He said that they had been told to be prepared for phone calls from the United States, not to speak to anybody from the press and to just take our information. And he was like; I don’t know what to tell you,” says Melissa.
Both Melissa and Hodzic want answers, and for those who paid to get what they paid for.
“I wanted to talk to you guys because I feel like the media and the public will put a little pressure on them to make sure these people get their money back,” says Hodzic.
“Not that I want to be spiteful, but like somebody has to be held accountable for this,” says Melissa.
But who can be held accountable when there’s no one to answer your call. Wren Kitchens have not responded to our calls or emails.
If you’re waiting on an order, experts say to contact your financial institution and keep records of any communication with the company.
Home Depot, which does business with Wren Kitchens, said in a statement, “Wren Kitchens has alerted us that they’ve ceased operations in the United States, which includes closing their showrooms in our stores. We had no previous notice of Wren’s intent to close, and we’re actively evaluating how this has affected Wren customers to help those who may have questions or issues. For questions about operations, please contact Wren directly.”
For former employees, we spoke with the CT Department of Labor. They said, “any worker facing layoff, or anyone seeking a job, or looking for a career change can schedule an in person or virtual appointment at their local American Job Center.
Click HERE for that information.
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