RENTON, Wash. — A photography business based out of south King County suddenly shut down leaving frustrated customers wanting their money back.
On Wednesday, Unposed & Co. announced that it would be closing the business run by Christina Bruce, the owner. More than 600 people commented on the site, many of them asking what would happen to the money they paid up front.
Trevor Preuett and his fiancé Micayla Mceldowney say they paid $150 for pictures of their one-year-old son in April, but the pictures were never taken.
"We didn't get a reply," Mceldowney says, "We messaged her through Facebook, through email and months go by, and now it's November."
The couple says they never heard from the photographer after she rescheduled the photo shoot, but there was one big problem.
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"Everybody has paid in full and up front," Preuett said.
He says he never got back the $150. The company's Facebook page shows posts from many clients who seem confused or angry about the lack of services.
"The many people that have reached out and commented, it's unheard of," Preuett explains.
KIRO 7 spoke to Bruce over the phone. She said times have been hard, and that she's committed to fulfilling all of her clients requests, a promise she made on her company's Facebook page.
"When I did close, I did ask for some time to figure things out till I was able to get a job for people who did want refunds. I never said that I wasn't going to send them and I want you to know that wholeheartedly," she says in a video.
Janine Minney is a friend and a former client of Bruce. She says there's more to the story.
"She just got overwhelmed, maybe she did take on too many clients at one time, but I guarantee you she never intended to scam anybody," Minney said.
Intentions aside, clients like Preuett say it's too late.
"She took memories from us that we just can't get back," he says, "we just wanted to put this to light, and hopefully stop her from doing it to other families."
Cox Media Group
