Customers wait months for furniture, store’s future unclear.

Lindsy Ingram ordered a La-Z-Boy sofa and recliner from the Silverdale store June 1.

She was told the furniture would be shipped in 10-12 weeks.

Now well into Week 13 and pushing Week 14, the Bremerton resident is still waiting for her furniture.

“I’m disappointed it’s taken this long,” Ingram said. “They’ve always had a good reputation.”

The Puget Sound stores, which includes Silverdale, Issaquah, Lynnwood, Tacoma and Tukwila, are independent franchises and La-Z-Boy Incorporated confirms the local dealers, the Tolle Furniture Group, lost their franchise license.

“The license agreement has been terminated for the current dealer and a determination for going forward is being analyzed,” said Mike Riccio, La-Z-Boy Incorporated’s senior vice president and CFO. “Through the courts, a third party is managing the stores and coordinating with La-Z-Boy to finalize the orders from the customers and deliver the furniture.”

Riccio said despite the current situation, all orders are being validated and customers are being called to confirm their orders and updated on delivery dates.

“At the present time, the sales people and the third party management company are calling each individual customer with an update on when their furniture will be available for delivery to their home. About 80 percent of the customers have been contacted and the situation has been explained to them,” he said. “The remaining customers will be contacted this week. La-Z-Boy is committed to resolving these issues for our customers and is working to deliver ordered furniture as quickly as possible.”

Ingram said she received a phone call last weekend informing her the sofa and recliner will be shipped the week of Sept. 7.

“I don’t think it’s the Silverdale store’s fault and the Silverdale store is just caught in the middle,” she said.

Ingram said she’s already sold her old sofa and recliner and the Silverdale store generously loaned her a sofa.

“They’re working with me and trying to tell me what they can,” she said. “I actually feel the Silverdale store is doing a great job.”

While the current situation is being handled, the future of the Puget Sound La-Z-Boy stores is unclear.

“La-Z-Boy is looking at the various options in the market to determine what is in the best interest of the company and the stores going forward and will have to make the best decision based on the options that are available, including having another independent dealer come in to run the stores,” Riccio said.

Ingram is happy her sofa should be arriving in the coming weeks, but the first-time La-Z-Boy shopper can’t help but have a bad taste in her mouth from the entire experience.

“Some sides got greedy and some of us suffered for it,” she said.