HOWARD CITY, Mich. -- Joan Plath recalls what she said on Monday to the owner of Dreamland Tanning and Fitness.
"'I would appreciate my check,' and he said ‘well I'll get it in the mail today' and so I got it yesterday,’" Plath said.
That’s good news for Plath. Earlier this year, she paid for one year of unlimited access to Dreamland Tanning. The hot lights help sooth her fibromyalgia. So the $221 investment was paid upfront.
Plath said, "I went there for 3 months before they closed."
She said she found a sign on the building in late June. For a month, she called, sent a letter and even messaged the business on Facebook for a refund, but she said she heard nothing from owner Scott Horn.
So she and her husband turned to the FOX 17 Problem Solvers, and guess what happened just a few days after our first story aired.
"Mr. Horn called yesterday," Plath said.
Horn sent a refund check for $150. That was only after FOX 17 messaged Dreamland Tanning on Facebook.
FOX 17 got a reply from business's Facebook page. It said Scott Horn would give (Darren Cunningham) a call. Horn said he didn't realize customers had messaged his business on Facebook. He doesn't use it, and the page is operated by his employees.
"That's my fault. I should have been looking at the Facebook or got access to it. I take full responsibility for it. I did not try to hide from anybody,” Horn said.
“We didn't move any of the equipment. Everything was still sitting there. So it isn't like we were running away," he added.
Horn said he's been trying to sell the business and some very close deals fell through. He also said he had too much on his plate, so he decided to close. However, he wants to be responsive to customers.
"That's the thing I wanted to do is make sure I get it right with all the people. I wouldn't like it happening to me, and that's not the way I do business," Horn explained.
"We couldn't have ran that business for 9 years if we weren't honest," he said.
The Plaths said they're happy they contacted the FOX 17 Problem Solvers.
“I am very glad and thank you so much. I mean we were very impressed, very impressed,” Plath said.
Other customers seeking answers reached out to FOX 17 following the original story. Another woman said she was also contacted by Horn this week, and she was told she would receive a refund.
Horn also received some good news. He said a business deal went through on Tuesday, and the tanning salon is being sold. He said it will reopen on September 1st, and the new owner will honor previous customers memberships.
Horn said customers with questions may call him at 616-835-2436.
