WONDER! of Deerfield closes

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A child's bedroom area at WONDER! | Ruthie Hauge~Sun-Times Media

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Updated: March 24, 2012 8:35AM

Customers today are walking up to the now locked, brown-papered glass doors at WONDER! to find notices announcing the store’s closure.

“The company will be undergoing a restructuring process and is hopeful for the future of the WONDER! vision and concept that focuses on one-stop shopping convenience for families and exceptional service in an unmatched environment,” a store statement reads. “Please continue to check out our Facebook page and website for upcoming information.”

The notices are hanging under a large sign at 250 S. Waukegan Road proclaiming the start of the 135,000-square-foot business — “Yipeeee! We’re open” - less than four months ago.

“Due to balance sheet considerations that impacted dwindling product availability, technology systems and planned improvements, the company was no longer in a financial position to sustain operations,” stated a press release written on behalf of Shane Christensen of Lake Forest, who founded the store.

Customers, upon learning of the store’s closure, want to know how to get money back for paid benefits such as year-long play yard memberships. To use the play area, it was $10 per child or $15 per family every visit, or $129 for a one-year family membership, said Kelly Aron, a Wheeling mom.

“How do we get our money back for the memberships? I was just there Saturday and there was no sign anything was wrong,” she said in a telephone interview Monday. “Today when I went back and read the notice on the doors, there was no way to contact them. They left no phone number; and there is no way to connect with them through their website.”

Jennie Cornell of Gurnee, whose daughter will celebrate her first birthday in two weeks, booked a big party for her baby at WONDER! in November.

“I’ve already sent out all the invitations … We signed up for everything at WONDER! We were just there during the week for a music class,” Cornell said.

“I did get a call from the company (on voice mail) today about the party, saying the store had closed and apologizing for the inconvenience,” she added. Later Monday, Cornell reported she would receive a refund.

They’re not the only ones wondering about money. Several companies that remodeled the once empty space at 250 S. Waukegan Road into WONDER! filed lawsuits earlier in the month seeking payment for their work.

Lovering Electric Co. of Highland Park on Feb. 2 brought suit against the company in Cook County Circuit Court charging WONDER! and Christensen with breach of contract and fraud.

“Beginning on or about September, Lovering Electric as a subcontractor, was engaged by All Star Improvements and Renovations, Inc., (of Highwood) to provide electrical remodeling, installation, repair and replacement services at the real property on behalf of WONDER! LLC,” the law suit stated. “Not withstanding the work performed by Lovering Electric at the real property, WONDER! failed and refused to pay Lovering Electric the balance due for electrical services totaling $69,287.38.”

When Lovering Electric was hired, the store was not ready for retail business and had to be remodeled so WONDER! could get an occupancy certificate from the village to conduct business, said Lovering’s attorney,

Chicago-based Stephen Milott.

The workers hurriedly renovated the store in 60 days to make it ready for the holiday season. Lovering hired five additional electricians and purchased extra electrical materials to meet the deadline, Milott added.

WONDER! made partial payments for the work until the village issued an occupancy certificate in October. But once the store opened, payment stopped, Milott said.

Several other companies that worked there also were considering suit. They include All Star Improvements and Renovations, Inc., which is owed about $170,000; Mahoney Plumbing of Highwood, owed about $36,000; and the Atlas Door Repair Company of Plainfield, which is owed about $25,000, he added.