Manhattan’s ‘ABC Carpet & Home’ Customers Furious about Open Orders

By Ellen Cans

ABC Carpet & Home is struggling to fill past orders since the pandemic, and since being saved from bankruptcy. As per the NY Post, dismayed customers are complaining that they paid for orders which still haven’t arrived. The Post also reported that the retailer has been at odds with its landlord at its flagship Manhattan space.

The 124-year-old retailer, known for its swanky furniture, rugs and light fixtures, was on the brink of bankruptcy during the COVID-19 pandemic. In October the business was bought out by a group that specializes in Persian rugs. ABC, however, has still yet to deliver on carpets and furniture ordered and paid for up to a year ago. Customers, with open orders worth thousands of dollars each, claim the retailer has been dodging calls and slow to reply to emails. Despite the fact that ABC has been holding on to deposits and pre-payments, it’s landlord at the flagship store at 888 Broadway in Manhattan’s Flatiron District also says payments are not up to date. The landlord even asked a judge to force the leaseholder to pay up or leave, as per recent court filings reviewed by the Post.

ABC has already minimized its space from six to three floors and the basement. Now, only the store’s basement and ground floor are opened for customers, with everything in disarray. “There’s no sign saying ‘Watch for the grand reopening of the second and third floors,’” noted Kenneth Rosen, a bankruptcy attorney who once bought a chandelier from the store. “I had the feeling that the building was – or has been – renovated in contemplation of it being leased to another retailer.”

An ABC Carpet spokesperson said in a statement to The Post that the company still has a long-term lease at 888 Broadway and “is committed to maintaining” the flagship store, and may even add back more floors “in the near future”. ABC said it was “engaging with the landlord” on the space. The landlord’s representative didn’t reply to a request for comment.

In reference to customer complaints, ABC’s spokesperson said the retailer’s new owners are “focused on delivering a great shopping experience to customers.” He added that the new owner group was not obliged to fulfill orders placed with the previous owners before the bankruptcy, but is doing so willingly. “This includes one-on-one engagement with valued clients to satisfactorily address open orders and working closely with supplier partners to ensure completion of all orders as soon as possible in light of continued pandemic-related supply chain delays affecting the entire industry,” the spokesperson said.