ReSale 360 Closes Doors; Owner Making Preparations to Give Back Property

Fenton Police have received more than 20 complaints about the Fenton shop, which closed its doors, but many consignors say they are owed money or their property is still inside the store.

Michigan State Police and Livingston County Sheriff's Department told Brighton Patch that they have received no such complaints about the store's second location in Brighton on Old US-23.

Owner Donna Hitz said she is making preparations to give the property back, but said the process may take time. She said there are 3,300 items in the store and some consignors with hundreds of items. Hitz said she will be calling customers and allowing them into the store to pick up their merchandise. She said she is afraid for her safety and will only let a couple people in at one time. Hitz said she has received multiple threatening messages along with people threatening her outside of the store.

"I can't get into screaming matches. I'm frustrated and I'm stuck," Hitz said. "I'm really sorry. I'm losing sleep."

Hitz closed the doors to the Fenton store Sunday because of financial reasons. She said the store has been for sale for a long time and for the last five weeks she believed she had a buyer. When that deal fell through, however, she said she was forced to close the doors.

"This is a failed business. I'm broke." Hitz said.

She said if she files for bankruptcy immediately no one would be able to retrieve their property. Hitz said she wants to wait so she can safely return the items in the store to the rightful owners.

"I don't want to get hurt and I don't want to argue," Hitz said. "I want to give people their stuff back."

Chief Rick Aro said police are taking complaints and will continue to do so.

“We have talked to the store owners and they do intend to return any property still in their possession to the rightful owners,” Aro said. “They are talking to an attorney regarding financial matters. They requested police stand by and we agreed to help them out.”

Aro said officers are dealing with complaints on a case-by-case basis and determining whether it’s a civil or criminal case.

“We will continue to investigate those cases,” Aro said. “We believe a lot of them are criminal.”

Fenton Patch reader Barbara Warner posted that she never received a March check for $225 and that she has another $200 worth of merchandise in the store.

"I am so disgusted. The store looks half empty, but I would like the opportunity to take back my stuff, if it is even there. Looks like it's been picked over. This was merchandise sold in the store, for which the owners received the money in January and February."

Michelle Franz Vincent commented on Brighton Patch's Facebook Page that she thought the prices in the store were "very high for used items."

Char Seagraves Shosey agreed with Vincent.

"I bought a chair, but overall, I thought prices were high there," she said. "Plus there was something about how I had to pay for it, I think I had to write a check, they didnt take debit/credit, dont recall off hand now."

Hitz opened store at 1022 Silver Lake Road about three years ago after being open in Holly for three years. The name of the store changed from Garage Sale 360 & Hitz Consignments to ReSale 360.

Hitz said she does have a buyer for the Brighton location.