Here's the consumer alert Niki Horace, Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations for the Better Business Bureau, posted regarding Couch's Appliance and Furnishings' sudden closure in Fife.

Many customers report that they had paid for appliances that have not been delivered.
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BUSINESS FAILS TO CLOSE OUT TRANSACTIONS BEFORE CLOSING ITS DOORS
Couch's Appliance and Furnishings Shuts Down, Without Notifying Its Customers

DuPont, WA – Oct. 13, 2009 – Tacoma/Fife Couch's Appliance and Furnishings, has gone out of business unannounced, leaving questioning customers in its trail.

Better Business Bureau serving Alaska, Oregon, and Western Washington has received notice that the company is not answering its calls or responding to its messages. Those who visit the Tacoma/Fife storefront at 5306 Pacific Hwy. South, report that the lights are on, the windows are covered in paper and plastic, and the doors are locked. All that is left is a sign that says "Closed as of 9/30/2009."

Your BBB has attempted to contact the Tacoma/Fife location by phone and in person without success. When phoning Couch's Shoreline location at 206-542-8911, they advise consumers to email terryp@vikingbank.com with any questions or comments.

The Web site, www.couchsappliance.com ">http://www.couchsappliance.com/> , now forwards to a 'under construction' message.


BBB offers the following advice on how to verify if a business has closed:
Use all methods of contact. Try calling, e-mailing, faxing, and sending certified mail to reach someone at the business.
Visit the location. Look for signs or instructions. Ask neighboring shops if they know how you could contact the owner. If the business has any affiliated locations, try reaching them. The landlord of the building, retail strip or mall may also have contact information.
Check with the Post Office. See if the company has a forwarding address.
Verify licensing. Check their registration status with the Department of Revenue or the Secretary of State.
Contact your BBB or the state Attorney General's office. They may be able to help you determine if the company has officially gone out of business.
If a business is closed and owes you merchandise or a refund, BBB offers the following suggestions:
§ If you reach someone at the business: Talk with the store's owner to find out if they will be able to provide the merchandise as promised to those who paid deposits or placed orders. Decide on an arrival date and get it in writing. If not, request a refund. If you made a payment by credit card, you may be able to protect your deposit. Contact your bank or credit card issuer to dispute the transaction and initiate a "chargeback," if the business fails to deliver the merchandise.

§ If the business is not acknowledging the issue: File a complaint with Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org and the state Attorney General's office where the business is located.

§ If the store has filed for bankruptcy: Consider filing a claim with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court where the business filed for bankruptcy. If the business is able to repay its creditors, you may be able to retain some of your money back.

§ If the store has not filed for bankruptcy: You can pursue your claim through the courts or through an attorney; however, collecting a judgment can be very expensive, challenging, and time-consuming.

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About your BBB serving Alaska, Oregon and Western Washington:
Your Better Business Bureau is a not-for-profit organization funded by Better Business Bureau accredited businesses. The BBB’s mission is to be the leader in advancing marketplace trust. For more information about the services and products provided by your BBB, call 206-431-2222 or 253-830-2924 in Washington, 503-212-3022 in Oregon, 907-562-0704 in Alaska, or visit our Web site at www.bbb.org .

The Puyallup Fair begins its 17-day run today, starting with the annual Western Rodeo Parade and Cattle Drive at 10 a.m. in downtown Puyallup.

North Meridian Street will be closed from 9:50 to 10:50 as a result of the parade.

Afterward, you can get into the Puyallup Fair for free before noon, though you should bring a can of food for the Puyallup FISH Food Bank. (It's recommended.)

This year, the fair theme is "The Big Fantastic." Click more to see the fair's press release about opening day.

=> Read more!

If you want to catch the Western Rodeo Parade that heralds the start of the 17-day Puyallup Fair, you can grab a seat along Meridian Street tomorrow.

The parade and cattle drive starts at 10 a.m. and runs along Meridian from West Main to 8th Avenue SW.

If you're driving, you'll want to avoid North Meridian from 9:50 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. tomorrow. You won't really have a choice -- the road will be completely blocked off for the procession, which includes 60 Mexican Corriente cattle followed by drill teams, marching bands, cowgirls and cowboys, you name it.

The Fair opens at 10 a.m. Just walk down Meridian to the Puyallup Fair and Events Center at 9th Avenue SW after the cattle drive and you can start your fair adventure.

Or just follow the crowd. There's really no way to get lost when several hundred people are all headed toward the same thing.

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Residents can visit and share their thoughts on the historic Curran House on Saturday in University Place.

The event takes place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The house is located at 4009 Curran Lane W.

For the past year, University Place has wrestled with what to do with the historic property. It belonged to Charles and Mary Curran, longtime University Place residents and community supporters. Some UP residents would like to preserve the house for public use, although consultants say it isn’t worth saving.

I wrote about it in June.

CHIPS (Curran House Investigating and Planning Study Committee) organized Saturday’s event. "CHIPS, the UP Historical Society and hundreds of residents believe that this mid-century home, designed by renowned local architect, Robert B. Price, should be preserved for the community to enjoy and use for public purposes," according to a press release.

=> Read more!

It’s official. The aging Vaughn Bay Bridge is history.

Pierce County, which is replacing the 43-year-old bridge, ripped out portions of the span this week.

Crews began working on the project last month. The 1,625 vehicles that cross the bridge every day have had to take a 2.2-mile detour to cross the bay.

=> Read more!

Lakewood will honor the 45,000 members of the military and their families who live in the city and neighboring communities with an appreciation celebration Saturday.

The Honoring Our Military Event — H.O.M.E. for short — takes place from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Saturday at Lakewood Towne Center, 5731 Main Street SW.

The event is free and open to the public.

Lakewood Towne Center is hosting the event. (Shown above is the event's logo shown on the shopping center's Web site) It will offer various activities, including:

=> Read more!

A bus commute and ferry ride to the mainland were the last things on Rosanna Martinez's mind today.

After all, today was the first day of middle school for the 11-year-old from Anderson Island. She was thinking about stuff any student new to a school would wonder about: class schedules, lockers, her cell phone.

She has plenty of time to grumble about her two-hour commute that I mentioned in my previous post.

"I'm nervous and excited," Rosanna said while chatting with friends on the ferry.

=> Read more!

Today was a big day for sixth-graders from Anderson Island.

Not only is it the first day of school, but five students for the first time embarked on a two-hour trek that will become their routine until high school graduation.

The students of the island community are part of the Steilacoom School District, and last year attended elementary school at Anderson Island's two-room schoolhouse.

They've since graduated to middle school, and this year they're attending school on the mainland, starting at Pioneer Middle School.

=> Read more!

A few weeks back, I wrote about the new Tillicum Youth and Family Center.

Tacoma Area Youth For Christ announced it will hold a grand opening celebration for the 3,000-square-foot center on Sept. 17. It starts at 4 p.m., with a ceremony and barbecue.

For more information and to RSVP for the event: grandopening@tacomayfc.org.

Here is the flier for the celebration:

=> Read more!

Fircrest, the island-of-a-city known for ticketing speeders and fighting off Wal-Mart, must make another choice that could forever change its character.

The question: Should a coffee shop in the suburban city’s commercial core be allowed to operate a drive-through?

OK, it might not be on the same level as defeating a global retail giant, but Fircrest officials will discuss the request by Trans Pacific Properties Inc., starting with tonight’s planning commission meeting.

The Fife-based company that has an office in Fircrest owns the 40,000-square-foot Village Square complex, which it refers to as Town Center.

Property Manager Tyson Johnson said the company purchased and renovated the complex on Regents Boulevard more than a year ago. It also began to attract tenants, including a coffee shop.

He said the owners of the Greener Bean Coffee Company plan to open their business possibly by this month in a spot that used to be a bakery.

One of the reasons the coffee shop agreed to locate in Fircrest Town Center was Johnson’s willingness to offer drive-through service.

=> Read more!

By C.R. Roberts
The News Tribune

Only once a year – every year – Nancy LeMay opens the gates of her Parkland home to those who truly believe in Harold LeMay’s dream and who appreciate his obsession to collect.

The LeMay Museum is open year-around at the former Marymount Academy in Spanaway, and progress continues toward a newer, greater museum near downtown Tacoma.

Only one day in 365 can the public see the broadest extent of the late Harold LeMay’s collection.

The public came on Saturday, so many and so wet in the morning rain that volunteers opened the gates early.

Affectionately known as “the home,” the LeMay compound contains all manner of things related to a life long lost along the American road.

=> Read more!