Grant's customer and lender sue in Will County

JOLIET — Marion Fuller is yet another customer of Grant’s Appliances looking for answers after its stores mysteriously shut down in early October.

The Joliet resident drove to the store at 321 N. Republic Avenue on Oct. 9 to pick up a washing machine that wasn't delivered. Unable to reach anyone and with no idea if he would receive the purchase, Fuller filed a small claims lawsuit against Grant's on Oct. 14.

According his complaint, Grant’s owes Fuller $568.18 for failing to deliver the washing machine he purchased on Oct. 8.

“I don’t know whether I’m going to get [the washing machine] or not… I have to have a washing machine. Do I have to go out and buy another one?” Fuller said.

Customers such as Fuller have been complaining about not getting what they paid for from the store, which had legal problems with other customers in the past. As of Tuesday, the Illinois Attorney General's Office had received 20 complaints from customers about purchases not received from Grant's.

Several attempts to reach Grant's representatives have been unsuccessful.

Recently, a complaint was filed in Will County by Summitbridge Credit Investments IV LLC against owners of Grant’s and its Joliet properties.

The Oct. 10 complaint is seeking mortgage foreclosure of Grant’s Joliet properties.

The lawsuit alleges Bassgar-Illinois Inc., which runs under the trade name Grant’s Appliances, and WYOL LLC, which owns property on the 300 block of Republic Avenue in Joliet, failed to make payments on loans.

The loans were obtained from First Midwest Bank, which then assigned and conveyed them to Summitbridge Credit Investments IV LLC in 2012, according to the complaint.

The complaint alleges each company owes $7.7 million and $2.9 million respectively.

Michael Mulcahy, an attorney representing Summitbridge Credit Investments IV LLC declined to comment on the lawsuit. He also declined to comment on whether the lawsuit was related to the closing of Grant’s stores.

Named in the lawsuit are Robert W. Wysocki, Sandra Wysocki, George Olsen, Sandra Jean Olsen and others who were not identified. Their addresses were listed as Naples, Florida. Bosan-Illinois, Inc., which also owns property on Republic Avenue, was also named.

Robert Wysocki has been noted as a Naperville owner of Grant's, who also serves as board trustee for the University of St. Francis in Joliet. George Olsen is the president and chief executive officer of the company.

The lawsuit alleges Wysocki and Olsen are members of WYOL, LLC.

In 2012, Grant’s agreed to pay $600,000 in a settlement with customers who filed a lawsuit against them in 2010. In the lawsuit, they alleged Grant’s promised customers who registered for their promotional rebate program and spent more than $399 at their stores would receive a $500 rebate for gas and groceries.

The customers said they didn’t receive the rebates as promised. Grant’s agreed to a settlement, but denied allegations of wrongdoing.

Grant’s began in Joliet more than 90 years ago and grew into a regional chain with stores in Downers Grove, Aurora, Orland Park and Merrillville, Indiana.