Maine Cottage shuttered, goods to be sold

The wicker seats, throw pillows and plush beds remain on display as if ready for customers to come in and browse around the Maine Cottage furniture store on King Street.

But all the items in the high-end shop face another fate.

The Yarmouth, Maine-based store ceased operations and closed its three stores in Charleston, Yarmouth and West Palm Beach, Fla., in recent weeks. Now a lender that's owed money plans to liquidate the items.

Cleveland-based KeyBank is in the process of collecting the merchandise to sell to satisfy a lien against Maine Cottage, bank attorney Jacob Manheimer told The Portland Press Herald in Maine earlier this week.

Manheimer said the bank will surrender items to customers who paid in full for them and can identify the item with a purchase order or through other means -- if the item is on hand.

"The stuff has to be there. You have to be able to say, 'That table is mine. I bought that table. It just hasn't been delivered.' As opposed to 'I bought a table. I want to walk around the warehouse and find a table I like,' " he told the newspaper.

Manheimer said nothing can be done for customers who only put down deposits toward items. He said he doesn't know how many customers paid for orders or put down deposits.

Maine Cottage has not filed for bankruptcy. Corporate headquarters phone numbers give an error message when called.

A sign on the door of the 525 King St. store, which opened eight years ago, reads, "Maine Cottage is temporarily closed."

Timothy Norton of Portland, attorney for company co-founder Peter Bass, said Wednesday, "The company is closed and out of business." He called Maine Cottage "a victim of the recession."

Peter and Carol Bass founded the business in 1988. They have since divorced, Norton said.

Building owner Alan St. Clair said Wednesday that Maine Cottage officials told him the bank didn't renew their loan. He said a KeyBank attorney told him the bank now owns the inventory inside and that he could not touch the items.

St. Clair said he showed up last week for them to move the furnishings out of the 6,500-square-foot store, but the bank decided it was too expensive to move them. Manheimer told The Post and Courier items would not be sold off at the store and they would be moved by month's end. He declined to say where a sale would take place.

St. Clair now is looking for a new tenant for the building through his company, Lead Dog Properties.

The S.C. Department of Consumer Affairs did not return phone calls Wednesday to see if anyone has complained about not being able to get their furniture.

Getting physical

Body Sculpting Inc. , a private personal training studio, recently opened at 1815 Old Trolley Road in Oakbrook Center in Summerville.

In addition to personal training, the boutique-style studio offers weight loss plans and nutritional planning by appointment only. It is not a gym, so there are no membership fees or contracts. A grand opening is set for early April. JohnPaul Soucy is the owner and Katrina Cobb is the manager.

Do you know of a business that is opening, closing or expanding? Reach Warren L. Wise at 937-5524. Read his next column on Monday in Business Review.