REDMOND, Wash. -- They paid cash for carpets, but now a Redmond home improvement store has gone out of business.

The owner isn't saying what happened to thousands of dollars he collected for flooring he never delivered, but a KIRO 7 Consumer Investigation reveals this isn't the first time he's pulled this maneuver.

Ian Latham and Jennifer Bixler still can't believe what happened.

They got the carpet and vinyl all right, but the hardwood?

"We don't know, they never showed up," said Bixler.

But when they went to complain, they found the company that took their money, the Redmond Store of Floors, had shut down.

"It's been a real nightmare," said Bixler.

And they're not the only ones caught in the nightmare.

KIRO 7 CONSUMER TIP LINE If you've been ripped off by the "Redmond Store of Floors," please e-mail us or call (206) 728-7677 E-mail An L&I Investigator File a complaint with the Attorney General's office

We spoke to 11 other families who also lost money, some of whom wrote checks just days before the company went under.

The man who allegedly took advantage of these families is Alan Denman.

This isn't the first time it's happened. The investigation shows just last year that Denman was involved with another Store of Floors in Lynnwood.

But late last year, he abruptly closed that store, leaving customers and creditors in the lurch.

Then, a few months later, he opened another store. Now it's deja vu all over again.

We went looking for Mr. Denman at his home, at his parent's home and on the phone.

We never did find him, but we did find he's now declared bankruptcy for the second time in three years. First personally, this time it's corporate.

By our calculations, these customers are out close to $30,000. And that's just the ones we know of.

He also owes his landlord $12,000, his subcontractors at least $5,000 and another $5,000 to the State of Washington in back taxes.

Former employee, Garrett Wright, says Denman owes him money too.

"He came into the store with a lot of debt from a past store, job or whatever and was banking on location and the amount of people who would come in and buy stuff to clear that over," said Wright.

Denman is currently under investigation by the City of Redmond for operating without a business license.

He had applied for one, but took his time about it. His store was open almost nine months before he sent in the paperwork.

Meanwhile, the store in Redmond is now under new ownership.

PLEASE NOTE: Denman's operation is NOT connected with the Store of Floors in Everett.