Business briefs for February 20, 2002

Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2002 | 10:44 a.m.

The Nevada Attorney General's office sued a Las Vegas company that was subject of at least 18 consumer complaints and was found by the state to be operating as an unlicensed mortgage loan business.

The state sued to force Ruth Adams doing business as United Family Services to comply with an order that was issued in May by the Consumer Affairs division of the state Department of Business and Industry.

The order, issued after a hearing on May 7, requires United to cease and desist all business activities until it registers as a credit service organization, posts a required security and obtains all required city and state licenses. United is also required to refund its consumers $2,917 in fees they had paid to the unlicensed company and to pay for the state's investigation costs.

The complaints alleged United failed to disclose material facts to its customers, while the Business License Division of the city of Las Vegas, at the May hearing, said United was issued a license based on its alleged false claims to be a "telephone answering service business."

Gianna Orlandi, deputy attorney general with the state's consumer affairs division, said United has repeatedly refused to comply with the state's order and wants a judicial order suspending United's privilege to do business in Nevada and $5,000 in civil penalties.

Adams could not be reached for comment on the state's accusations.

Coffee chain headed for Vegas

Las Vegas consulting group Luery, Alesia & Co. has acquired sole franchise rights from Long Beach, Calif.-based coffee retail chain It's A Grind LLC to open 27 coffeehouse franchises in the Las Vegas area over the next seven years.

Luery, Alesia & Co., headed by former Regent Las Vegas president and chief executive Darrell Luery and Gerry Alesia, one of the founding partners of the Kinko's copy center chain, will hire up to 75 workers for the first six shops to be opened by the end of the year.

The first store near the Anthem development in Henderson is scheduled to open in April, the second at Spring Valley Town Center is expected to open in May and a third at Charleston Avenue and Rampart Boulevard is expected to open in June.

Steve Shoeman, chief executive and director of franchise development for It's A Grind, said the franchiser is also planning to open shops at the Fashion Show Mall and Fiesta hotel-casinos.

It's A Grind has five company-owned stores in Long Beach and 75 franchises to date. It plans to have 257 franchise stores in California, Nevada, Colorado Arizona within five years.

Discounts offered for gated areas

Farmers Insurance has begun offering discounts on homeowners insurance coverage for residents of qualified gated communities in Nevada.

Participants in the company's new Homeowner Associations program can save up to 4 percent on the costs of their policies. The discounts are possible because gated community residents typically have fewer losses, a company spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Coverage for assessments and other needs unique to gated communities also is available through the program.