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(LEBANON, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today announced a lawsuit against the operators of Best Buy Furniture & Mattress, a Cincinnati area furniture store that has operated a store closing sale since April — nearly twice as long as state law permits.
In Ohio, a “distress sale” cannot last longer than 90 days.
“Running a deceptive store closing sale is unfair to consumers and honest businesses,” Attorney General DeWine said. “It gives the impression that the seller is offering rock-bottom prices for a limited time only, and in this case, that just wasn’t true.”
Best Buy Furniture & Mattress is located at 9966 Kings Auto Mall Road in Landen. It is a registered trade name of Deals and Steals Furniture LLC, which is owned by Steve Museitif of Dublin.
The Attorney General’s lawsuit charges Deals and Steals Furniture and Steve Museitif, individually and doing business as Best Buy Furniture & Mattress, with violating Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act, specifically the Distress Sale Rule.
Under the Distress Sale Rule, sellers may not advertise or conduct a distress sale for more than 90 days (45 days plus an optional 45-day extension, which must be clearly disclosed). They also must include a distress sale’s start and end dates in advertisements, and they may not supplement or add to their inventory after beginning the sale.
In the lawsuit, the Attorney General seeks an end to the deceptive practices, reimbursement to any consumers found to have been damaged by the defendant’s actions, and civil penalties.
Attorney General DeWine thanked the Better Business Bureau of Cincinnati for its assistance in the case.
Consumers who suspect an unfair business practice should contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov or 800-282-0515.
Note: Best Buy Furniture & Mattress is separate from Best Buy Co., Inc.
A copy of the lawsuit is available on the Ohio Attorney General’s website.
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