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Christmas House In Need Of Cheer

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By TONY HOLT, Hernando Today

Published: November 19, 2007

BROOKSVILLE - As the holidays near, the Christmas House will become busier than normal and surrounding businesses will prosper despite the pall of financial problems that hang over the owner of this popular retail complex.

Several Brooksville businesses have a lot riding on the survival and success of Rogers' Christmas House.

Evelyn Duncan, owner of The Antique Sampler and a member of the Brooksville Business Alliance, said her business thrives whenever customers visit the Christmas House in large numbers.

"If anything, the Christmas House has helped all of us," she said. "They bring business into Brooksville. People from there often come here to my shop and we're thrilled that it's functioning."

Even though the Christmas House is open and hoping for a prosperous Yule shopping season, the concern over finances has not gone away.

Here is how problems began for the owner of one of the county's most visited tourist shopping attractions:

Nine months ago, Donna Jones fired her sister when she learned her store was closed for perceived financial woes.

Jones purchased Rogers' Christmas House in December 2005 and reached out to her sister, Ann Chapman, to run the everyday operations.

Chapman was horrified at the status of Rogers' finances and without telling Jones, closed the business until she and her husband could devise a way to salvage Brooksville's most famous store.

Jones found out about the closing while in a hospital bed. She didn't react kindly to her sister's decision. Jones immediately terminated Chapman and her husband. The couple moved to Michigan and washed their hands of the store.

The matter went public in the local media. Jones disputed Chapman's claims of financial strife. She claimed the lack of revenue was all part of the normal ebb and flow of any retail business. On Oct. 30, Jones filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy - five years and four months after filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Business owners file for Chapter 11 "to keep creditors from coming down on them while they work on solving their financial problems," said Tampa bankruptcy attorney Shirley Arcuri.

Since bankruptcy laws were amended by Congress in 2005, a Chapter 11 case takes six to nine months before a resolution is reached. A debtor makes an offer to creditors. If they accept the plan, the debtor can begin making payments under the requirements agreed upon by both parties and the judge, Arcuri said.

But the creditors must agree to the proposal. If not, the debtor must devise a new plan or the case is dismissed.

Chapter 11 is less severe than Chapter 7, which is filed when the debtor decides to liquefy assets to pay back what is owed. Jones filed for Chapter 7 on June 20, 2002.

Her current case was filed through U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Tampa. According to court documents, she has $1.955 million worth of assets, but liabilities of $2.38 million. If she sold her real and personal property for their listed worth, she still would owe $428,100. Jones also owns Florida Denture Clinic West in Hudson.

Jones did not return several messages left at the Christmas House. The store's general manager, George Rodriguez, declined to comment.

Calls to Jones' denture business were not answered.

Records show Jones' home, 7480 Oak Tree Lane, Weeki Wachee, is worth $450,000, but she recently was approved for a second mortgage. The store, 103 S. Saxon Ave., is valued at $1.5 million. She owes a total of $1.69 million on both.

Court records show Jones owes $10,174 in property taxes and $461 in tangible taxes - a total of $10,635.

Documents show she owes 146 companies, banks and credit agencies. She owes $83,130 to Oak Hill Hospital.

Jones' attorney, Buddy Ford of Tampa, did not return a call seeking comment.

Jones owes money to suppliers from New York to Italy. Her largest debt is $92,107 to Department 56, a Christmas figurine store in Eden Prairie, Minn. Court documents show her monthly income is $8,500. Her average monthly expenses are $8,427.50. That leaves her a monthly net income of $72.50.

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