BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Ben Thorud, Vice President of Ashley HomeStores Ltd., issued a statement Wednesday afternoon regarding customers who are awaiting their Ashley Furniture from Bakersfield.

Two weeks ago, the Better Business Bureau gave the local furniture store a poor rating due to numerous unresolved customer complaints.

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On Feb. 19, ABC 23 learned that the Ashley building is up for lease. CB Richard Ellis, the property management company confirmed that the 42,000 square foot building on Rosedale Highway is available for rent at $60,000 per month.

The first sign that the local Ashley franchise was having problems was back in 2008 when the store owner filled for bankruptcy protection.

An Ashley Furniture employee told a customer last week that the store will be closing permanently in March. Another employee told a customer on Sunday that the store will be moving to a new location.

The local Ashley store is a franchise and not owned by the Ashley Corp. Local store management could not comment when asked by ABC 23 if the store was closing or if the building is up for lease or even if they are behind on their rent.

Ashley HomeStores Ltd., Vice President Ben Thorud wrote Wednesday:

To customers of the Ashley Furniture HomeStore in Bakersfield, CA:
Due to financial difficulties, the owners of the Ashley Furniture HomeStore in Bakersfield, CA, have not met their commitments to their customers nor to Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc., in Arcadia, WI, is stepping in to make sure that customers receive their Ashley Furniture that they’ve purchased through the Bakersfield store.

We are committed to you, our customers, and we want to ensure that you receive the Ashley Furniture that you purchased from the Bakersfield store. Our customers are extraordinarily important to us, and we apologize for any anxiety, frustration or inconvenience that this has caused you.

We will be calling all customers who are waiting for their Ashley Furniture from the Bakersfield, CA store to schedule all outstanding deliveries starting on February 24. Furniture delivery will be completed by April 24. We also welcome you to call 661-395-3400 for information and updates regarding the deliveries.

We thank you again for your patience, and we again apologize for the frustration and inconvenience posed by this issue. We’re looking forward for the opportunity to make this right for you.

Sincerely, Ben Thorud Vice President, Ashley HomeStores Ltd.