Business telling customers we are out of business

[pb1233]

What is the name of your state? Minnesota
We have a used bookstore. We relocated about a year ago. At our old location, we had some serious problems with the business next to ours (in addition to having a jerk of a landlord). This business is telling customers who ask what happened to us that we are out of business! When confronted by phone, they claim they made a mistake because they don't speak English very well. But they are still telling people we are out of business, not that we moved. Not "I don't know". Do we have any recourse?

 

[quincy]

It does not appear, from what you have posted, that you have any legal recourse against your former business neighbors. They are not required to "advertise" the new location of your business for you (even if they know it), or to pass on any information about you at all. They can even recommend to your former customers that they go to another competing business. All legal.

What you should have done prior to your move was to notify your customers personally that you would be moving, giving them your new address, while also advertising the up-coming move prominently in your old building (with signs or flyers). If you provided your customers wih good service at the old location, they will, more than likely, follow you to the new location. But you can't rely on, or even expect to rely on, people you didn't like and that didn't, apparently, like you, to be your advertising.

 

[pb1233]

We did all of that, posting a large banner in our old location informing people of the move. We had a large banner put up where we were moving saying when we'd be open there. We personally informed regulars that we were moving. We put ads in the local paper. There are still some people who did not get the word. We know the old neighbors are not required to advertise for us and never expected them to and find the way you answered to be a bit condescending, but thanks for the answer anyway. We just did not expect them to out and out lie and tell people we went out of business.

 

[quincy]

I apologize, pb1233. I didn't mean to sound condescending - although I can see, after re-reading my post, where it could come off that way.

At any rate, it sounds like you did everything right prior to your move to prevent the loss of customers, and it is too bad that your neighbors' lies may have led to the loss of a customer or two. The bottom line is, however, they did nothing illegal - just mean - and you have no legal recourse against them for being mean.

Good luck in your new location.