Woman says local banquet hall closed after she paid for baby shower

PARKSIDE (WTXF) - Locked up, shut down and out of business. One woman says a local banquet hall closed its doors after she already paid them $450. Now, she wants her money back.

The front doors at the Park Avenue Banquet Hall were locked Thursday afternoon when FOX 29 showed up. It's the same situation 27-year-old Ashley Abrams found when she arrived on Monday with a final payment for her baby shower.

"I was like my money is in there. My baby shower. I have so many people coming. I was in a frantic," she said.

She was frantic because the shower is this Saturday, and according to her contract, she'd already paid 450 of the 550 total cost for the event.

"I think it's a mess. You get your hopes up. You think you're going to have a shower or a party show up and the doors are locked. It's heartwrenching," she said.

According to public records, 4942 Parkside Avenue is owned by Parkside Partners of Dresher, Pa. It's listed for sale at 1.7-million dollars.

On the phone, the listing contact said he could not provide information about the banquet business or David Smith, the man Abrams believes controls the business.

Phone calls to Smith and a number for the banquet hall were met with a message stating the voice mail was full.

There was no one inside the hall when we entered looking for comment. FOX 29's Jeff Cole asked a security guard for David Smith. That security guard tells FOX 29 others have come asking about their events.