Troubled Mountain Grove Business Opens Online Store
St. Louis, Mo., Nov. 26, 2019 – Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises consumers to use caution when purchasing items from Farmhouse Store Company LLC, which is based in Mountain Grove, Missouri. The business is owned by Joseph Victor Ross.
Ross owns Rough Country Rustic Furniture, LLC, which manufactured hand-crafted gun concealment and rustic furniture. The business, which operated in Mountain Grove, has an “F” rating, the lowest on BBB’s scale. The business received nearly 1,700 complaints and more than 400 customer reviews, most of which were negative.
Customers told BBB the business failed to deliver goods as promised and they faced challenges receiving refunds. The business suspended operations in July 2018 just prior to being sued by the Missouri Attorney General’s Office.
In addition to Rough Country Rustic Furniture, LLC, and Ross, the lawsuit also names Ross’s wife, Ashley Nicole Dillard, and a second company, Rustic Concealment Solutions, LLC, as defendants. The state alleges the companies and their owners used “deceptive and unfair business practices in connection with the online sale of furniture and home décor.” The case is still pending.
In an interview with BBB, Ross said Farmhouse Store Company LLC has no affiliation with Rough Country Rustic Furniture, LLC. He said the Attorney General’s Office is aware of his new business, which he registered with the state in October 2019.
Farmhouse Store Company LLC’s website offers a number of handmade wall signs, including some that can conceal weapons. The items are priced between $21.95 and $129.95. Ross told BBB, “I don’t sell anything that’s not in stock.”
Ross said he has a “running inventory” and that once an item sells out, it is removed from the website. He said he will not post items for sale until he has inventory to send out to customers.
“I’m not looking to have anything happen again like what happened with Rough Country,” Ross told BBB. He told BBB he “has learned from his past mistakes” and will be cooperative in responding to customer complaints.
In its lawsuit, the state estimated Rough Country Rustic Furniture, LLC, had taken more than $450,000 from at least 514 consumers without providing products ordered. While Rough Country Rustic Furniture, LLC, offered high-ticket items like bedroom sets, Ross said he plans to only sell small items through Farmhouse Store Company LLC.
Ross told BBB he is the only employee of Farmhouse Store Company LLC.
“I’m trying to do things differently,” he told BBB. “We’ve been going for about a month now and we haven’t had any issues.”
BBB previously issued consumer warnings about Rough Country Rustic Furniture, LLC, in November 2017, May 2018 and August 2018.
According to the Farmhouse Store Company LLC website, all orders “will ship within three business days of order placement, Monday – Friday.”
“Each item is handmade from solid wood right here in southern Missouri on the family farm,” the website reads. “Each item is handmade by us, there is no third party manufacturer or supplier so you are getting it direct from the craftsman.”
While two different email addresses can be found on the Farmhouse Store Company, LLC, website, there is no contact phone number or address listed on the website. Ross told BBB that he does not have a storefront and is selling all of his goods online.
BBB offers the following tips for consumers buying merchandise online:
Research any business and its owners carefully before paying any money. Check the company’s BBB Business Profile at BBB.org or by calling 888-996-3887.
Try to determine whether the business has an actual office, and try to speak with someone there before ordering merchandise.
Read all terms and conditions carefully before completing a purchase. Make sure to read and understand all warranty information and refund policies. Know your options in case you receive an item that was not as advertised.
Pay with a credit card in case you need to challenge the purchase later.
Check a site’s security settings. If the site is secure, its URL (web address) should start with “https://.” You may also see a picture of a small closed lock in the lower right hand corner of the screen.
