Ashley Nelson Studios Storefront!
Donation protected
***Update: We have Begun Construction!!!***
Hi everyone! I'm Ashley and have I got the story for you! I've been operating as a small business owner in Kansas City for about three years now. Last year I decided to expand my business into a larger location Downtown Overland Park.
In November, I signed a lease for my very first storefront location. I hired a contractor to complete renovations slated to be complete by January 1st 2015. I was so excited. My biggest dream ever since I was a little girl!
Excitement turned to worry as renovations began to not get done in time. Worry turned to panic as my contractor just quit responding. By mid January I had invested over $20,000 in supplies that I did not receive and for renovations that were not done to code. I was paying $2000 a month for a workspace that I could not use.
I hired a lawyer, I sent a letter but was unable to afford to proceed. I spent my money trying to find emergency, temporary locations to work out of. I was told the chances of me getting any money back were slim. I was told this happens a lot. I was infuriated! How unfair! Meanwhile, Contractor From Hell was sending me messages threatening to sue me for defamation. I decided to just walk away from my lifesavings.
So sad, right? Thankfully it doesn't end there. Several months ago I saw this little gem of an article: https://ago.mo.gov/home/ag-koster-cracks-down-on-two-kansas-city-area-scam-contractors
Hallelujah! The Missouri Attorney General picked up the case and is going after him!!! Woohoo!!! They thought there were two cases and now there are 15, more people are coming forward every day. They have been trying to serve him for months with no luck. He continues to do this to people and has two new cases added with contracts from May and June of this year.
Right now I'm waiting to see if they determine I have jurisdiction since my place of business is in Kansas. If I am not granted jurisdiction, they suggested I hire a private attorney and then I'm back to where I was before. And even if I win, we still have to follow this dude around trying to garnish his wages for the rest of his life. Again, likely I won't see any of my money.
The quotes I received from new contractors to rip out what has been done and finish my space so I can work out of it were upwards of $92,000. Right now my contracting quote is sitting at somewhere around $50k. I hired an architect and paid off all the fees necessary to rebuild. I signed a contract to get started with demolition and the great rebuild of 2015.
We have been hosting multiple fundraisers, silent auctions, open houses and parties in order to raise the money needed for construction. I've been working 80-100 hours a week in order to make this happen.
I decided to launch my own skincare line and invest the remaining money I had left and with everyone's gracious support I doubled my investment, making this dream a real close reality. I am within reach at last!
We are FINALLY starting construction this week and am crossing fingers and toes that we will be in before the holidays. I am still a few thousand short (ok, $10,000) but I am sure I can whip that together in the next few months with AMBITION, DETERMINATION and DRIVE. (And some really amazing spa treatments)
This week my landlord agreed to let me use an empty space two doors down for "pop up" shops during the Farmer's Market in order to raise the last of the money I need to move forward! Come see me Wednesdays and Saturdays at 7913 Santa Fe Drive! I am so close to this nightmare becoming a dream again and I need your help Kansas City!
There are so many ways you can help:
*Book a relaxing spa service w me! Everyone wins!
*Buy some lovely skincare products that I put all of my positive energy into while everything around me was going to hell
*Share this story! Refer me some of your greatest friends and family members.
*Shop and play in makeup. New Autumn and Winter collections will be released soon!
*Come hang out with me in the pop up shop and pretend like you're buying everything when people come in, "Ohmygawd these are only $10?! They smell AMAZING! How many do you have left in stock?! I'll buy them all!"
*Donate any extra furnishings you may have laying around from past projects, I am in need of any of the following:
~Tile, Sinks, Cabinets, Drywall, Mud, Paint, Doorknobs, Baseboards, etc
Thanks so much for reading my story, can't wait to post updates soon!
Hi everyone! I'm Ashley and have I got the story for you! I've been operating as a small business owner in Kansas City for about three years now. Last year I decided to expand my business into a larger location Downtown Overland Park.
In November, I signed a lease for my very first storefront location. I hired a contractor to complete renovations slated to be complete by January 1st 2015. I was so excited. My biggest dream ever since I was a little girl!
Excitement turned to worry as renovations began to not get done in time. Worry turned to panic as my contractor just quit responding. By mid January I had invested over $20,000 in supplies that I did not receive and for renovations that were not done to code. I was paying $2000 a month for a workspace that I could not use.
I hired a lawyer, I sent a letter but was unable to afford to proceed. I spent my money trying to find emergency, temporary locations to work out of. I was told the chances of me getting any money back were slim. I was told this happens a lot. I was infuriated! How unfair! Meanwhile, Contractor From Hell was sending me messages threatening to sue me for defamation. I decided to just walk away from my lifesavings.
So sad, right? Thankfully it doesn't end there. Several months ago I saw this little gem of an article: https://ago.mo.gov/home/ag-koster-cracks-down-on-two-kansas-city-area-scam-contractors
Hallelujah! The Missouri Attorney General picked up the case and is going after him!!! Woohoo!!! They thought there were two cases and now there are 15, more people are coming forward every day. They have been trying to serve him for months with no luck. He continues to do this to people and has two new cases added with contracts from May and June of this year.
Right now I'm waiting to see if they determine I have jurisdiction since my place of business is in Kansas. If I am not granted jurisdiction, they suggested I hire a private attorney and then I'm back to where I was before. And even if I win, we still have to follow this dude around trying to garnish his wages for the rest of his life. Again, likely I won't see any of my money.
The quotes I received from new contractors to rip out what has been done and finish my space so I can work out of it were upwards of $92,000. Right now my contracting quote is sitting at somewhere around $50k. I hired an architect and paid off all the fees necessary to rebuild. I signed a contract to get started with demolition and the great rebuild of 2015.
We have been hosting multiple fundraisers, silent auctions, open houses and parties in order to raise the money needed for construction. I've been working 80-100 hours a week in order to make this happen.
I decided to launch my own skincare line and invest the remaining money I had left and with everyone's gracious support I doubled my investment, making this dream a real close reality. I am within reach at last!
We are FINALLY starting construction this week and am crossing fingers and toes that we will be in before the holidays. I am still a few thousand short (ok, $10,000) but I am sure I can whip that together in the next few months with AMBITION, DETERMINATION and DRIVE. (And some really amazing spa treatments)
This week my landlord agreed to let me use an empty space two doors down for "pop up" shops during the Farmer's Market in order to raise the last of the money I need to move forward! Come see me Wednesdays and Saturdays at 7913 Santa Fe Drive! I am so close to this nightmare becoming a dream again and I need your help Kansas City!
There are so many ways you can help:
*Book a relaxing spa service w me! Everyone wins!
*Buy some lovely skincare products that I put all of my positive energy into while everything around me was going to hell
*Share this story! Refer me some of your greatest friends and family members.
*Shop and play in makeup. New Autumn and Winter collections will be released soon!
*Come hang out with me in the pop up shop and pretend like you're buying everything when people come in, "Ohmygawd these are only $10?! They smell AMAZING! How many do you have left in stock?! I'll buy them all!"
*Donate any extra furnishings you may have laying around from past projects, I am in need of any of the following:
~Tile, Sinks, Cabinets, Drywall, Mud, Paint, Doorknobs, Baseboards, etc
Thanks so much for reading my story, can't wait to post updates soon!
Organizer
Ashley Nelson
Organizer
Overland Park, KS
