Pirch customers waiting to hear on orders, refunds after store's closure

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) – Customers from upscale appliance retailer Pirch are continuing to come forward after the store abruptly closed in late March.

"It was a custom grill from Kalamazoo that we ordered through Pirch, so all the specs are dialed in specifically for that grill," said Brea Reid, while showing FOX 5 around the renovation in her backyard.

Reid and her husband Keith have been anxiously waiting for the moment they could finally install a new grill in their backyard, which was ordered about a year and a half ago.

"It’s not like it was just $500, we’re talking $25,000 here and nobody’s responding," Reid said. 

By the time Reid contacted Pirch hoping to pick up the item, she learned they had just closed.

"I have to imagine we are very small fries when it comes to the scope of people that got hosed by Pirch," Keith Reid said.

Following the closure, lawsuits have been filed against Pirch for unpaid rent.

Last week dozens of customers came together for an online forum hosted by a local design business who feel cheated and ignored.

Initially Reid said she relieved the company would find a way to rebound.

"Of course they’re going to reach out and give us what we paid for it and then it wasn’t until I started talking to other designers that said they’re likely going to go bankrupt and probably repossess items," Reid said.

Signs on the Solana Beach storefront and notices that pop up on Pirch’s website call these closures a “pause” while the company “works on a path forward”. 

They point customers to a list of email addresses for pending orders and refunds, however no one FOX 5/KUSI has spoken with has actually received a reply.

The Reids believe their item is likely still sitting in a Pirch warehouse and are holding out hope they’ll eventually receive it.

"Do the right thing. We’ve had nothing but good reviews to say about Pirch until this instance," Reid said.

FOX 5/KUSI has tried getting in touch with Pirch since last week and has not received an official response, however a current employee did speak with us anonymously.

They said they’ve been asked to start taking paid time off since last week in order to get paid. The employee also said within the company, they’re hearing Pirch may file for chapter 7 bankruptcy which does not involve a plan to repay, instead a liquidation of assets.