Becky's Carpet & Tile Near Ballwin Source of Better Business Bureau Complaints

A representative for the Better Business Bureau of St. Louis said Tuesday that , which recently announced the closure of all its St. Louis-area stores, received five formal complaints from customers in the last 3 years.

Co-owner Becky Rothman told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that competition from big box retailers and a slower economy hurt sales at the business, which had its flagship location just east of Highway 141 in Manchester.

"It's been very hard to keep the business going," Rothman told the newspaper, which reported that Rothman Properties is delinquent in paying property taxes totaling more than $150,000 at four of its stores for the 2011 tax year.

Although the Manchester business had a hand-written sign on its door saying "Closed" Tuesday, customers could still enter the store, where a sales representative said cash-in-hand purchases would be accepted as the business liquidated remaining merchandise.

As Becky's Carpet & Tile closes shop, some customers have encountered issues with the business's planned closure, including a Wildwood business owner who contacted Patch and said Becky's declined to refund a $600 deposit for new carpeting originally scheduled to be installed Monday, then told the customer to take the issue up with the credit card company that processed the transaction.

The customer told Patch in an email that she planned to address the issue with the Better Business Bureau.

Becky Rothman could not be reached for comment late Tuesday regarding the disputed payment.

"We've had a lot of complaints on them," Jerri Stroud of the Better Business Bureau said of the carpet and tile store.

Despite the five complaints against Becky's Carpet & Tile location in Manchester over the last three years, Stroud noted that the business still was listed with an "A+" rating.

Diane Taylor, Director of Operations at the Better Business Bureau, said any customers who have experienced similar issues with the business at any of its locations should contact her department.

"We're encouraging those epode to call us so we can file a complaint," Taylor said. "Now unfortunately I can't make any promises that they will get their money back."