But a year after paying and getting nothing, the business is gone and the son's anguish turned to action, as he asked 7 On Your Side to get his cash and some closure.
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When Andre Dubuisson visits his dad's grave, a makeshift marker is all he sees.
"Every time I go to the cemetery I feel a big hole, something is not closing. Something's not right," says Dubuisson.
His dad, Vales Dubuisson, was a towering figure in his son's life. And when he lost his battle with throat cancer last fall, "It was a big loss, a big loss," recalls his son.
Andre chose a beautiful plot to lay his father to rest, contracting with Memorable Monuments and paying $3,100 to the salesman and business owner who came to his home. It was all for a bronze monument to mark his dad's grave.
The job was supposed to take about a month. The owner sent a text promising it would be "in the cemetery by October." Then in late spring, it was promised by the end of the month. Finally, it was promised by August 20th.
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The owner of Memorable Monuments blamed it all on the headstone manufacturer. But Andre wasn't buying it. Next, came an an ominous sign: the owner went silent and stopped answering Andre's calls.
So we went looking for answers, traveling to Hamilton, New Jersey, and found the shop was gone. Instead, we found a pool company where Memorable Monuments once was.
So we started calling the owner and after weeks of going back and forth, Andre got back the full refund - $3,100. His full deposit was delivered in cash.
"If 7 On Your Side was not on my side, I would definitely lose that money," said Andre.
The owner of Memorable Monuments apologized, saying it is now out of business and no longer taking customers.
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The big takeaway here - before picking a monument company, do research online. This company had a slew of complaints and an F rating by the BBB
Next, pay a visit. You'll see the quality of the work first hand and be able to assess how stable their business looks.
And finally - document the purchase and all the payments - and get promise dates in writing.
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