Shuttered consignment shop leaves customers without belongings - WSMV Channel 4
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Estelle's antique and consignment shop has been a fixture near the downtown area for two decades.
Richard Shelton was a regular Estelle's customer. For most of those two decades the store has been in business, Shelton would buy antiques on a regular basis. But in March, he decided to consign some valuable antiques to Estelle's.
"As far as trash and treasure, there was really more treasure there. She had jewelry, glass ware, china, paintings, books and even some bric-a-brac," said Shelton.
When Shelton was unable to contact her in June to get an update on his consigned items, he didn't think much about it. However, one call did make him nervous.
"A recording came on and said, 'This number is no longer in service.' The recording left no further information," said Shelton.
A drive by the store confirmed his suspicion. The store was dark, and everything had been cleared out. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in consigned antiques and other items were gone.
"Made me wonder what happened to Estelle's and all of the hundreds and thousands of items entrusted to her by me and other consignment customers," said Shelton.
Channel 4 News checked Estelle's website and Facebook page. Both sites are still up. When a phone number listed on her website was called, a recording said the number was disconnected.
Shelton said he is shocked by what happened, especially since Estelle's has been at the same Eighth Avenue South location for decades.
"This is a shop that's been around for years, it's an icon," said Shelton.
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