The attorneys for the owner of the Hobby Lobby Shopping Center have issued an response to a complaint filed by Sears Hometown in regards to the unexpected store closure in Wichita Falls.

Sears Hometown filed the complaint to gain access to enter the store and retrieve merchandise that remains inside. However, Y&O WF, LLC, owner of a shopping center say that will only do that when Sears Hometown provides the correct documentation, outlining the property that has been sold and the identity of the buyer.

On May 29, customers discovered a sign on its door from the property manager that says the owner, Cheryl Warren, failed to pay rent and other charges. The sign said the lease owes more than $11,000 in back rent. Since the closing, several customers have come out to say that they have yet to receive big ticket items purchased before the store’s closing.

According to the recent response, Y&O claims Sears Hometown negotiated and approved the terms of the lease on behalf of Warren and Faith Retail. Under the agreement, Warren was to pay $9,130 monthly for rent with a deposit of $5,500, with payments beginning May 1. Faith Retail also agreed to pay a security deposit of $5,500. However, according to Y&O, Warren did not pay anything when she abandoned the store. 

In the response, Y&O blames Sears Hometown for customers not receiving their purchased items. In an e-mail from Warren’s lawyer to the landlord, the lawyer described Warren’s experience with Sears Hometown as “catastrophe.”