DENVER - Not only have 50 employees been laid off from Student Movers, but dozens of customers are now wondering how they're going to get their furniture and other belongings back.
Fifty to 100 customers have furniture and other items inside Student Movers' 65,000-square-foot warehouse just north of Coors Field in downtown Denver.
The $7,000 worth of furniture Hana Vujeva ordered from another state was supposed to be delivered to her Centennial home this week. When she called Student Movers to confirm the details Monday morning, she only reached a woman from an answering service.
"She couldn't answer any questions about the company specifically, other than they were closing their doors and she would try and pass along the message," Hana said.
Hana was worried she wouldn't get her furniture.
Across town in Lakewood, former employee Michael Fabello was worried about finding a new job.
"I was kind of frustrated that we didn't have any prior notice to this at all. If you know this is going to happen, why can't you let people know so that they can prepare for it?" Fabello said.
"The economy isn't supporting the business anymore, so I had to close the doors," Steve Linane, president of Student Movers, said.
Linane says he's been trying to cut costs the past few years to keep the company afloat.
"We were just never able to pick up since 2009-2010, and with added competition and increased fuel costs, and increased labor costs, it was just too hard to maintain right now. It's so unfortunate we failed like this due to the economy," Linane said.
"For all of those people to lose their jobs, it's just really sad," Hana said, as she's left wondering how long her dining room chairs will double as a sofa.
The company says customers like Hana will have to hire a separate moving company to get their stuff, or if people have smaller items they can come get it themselves. People who go get their furniture have to bring their work order with them.
There are a few employees still on staff at Student Movers to help shut things down.
The laid off employees will receive one final paycheck.
(KUSA-TV © 2012 Multimedia Holdings Corporation)