LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. — Three-year-old Cain knows how to do battle with an evil foe, which is why he had hoped to take on Darth Vader at his birthday party.
But the sword-wielding Star Wars star never showed up. That’s something his mom Hannah Sage won’t soon forget.
“He’s like ‘Where’s Darth Vader? I thought you said Darth Vader would be here Mommy?'” she recalled.
Sage said she finally decided to tell him Darth Vader was sick and couldn’t make it because she couldn’t think of a better way to explain the problem to a 3-year-old.
April O’Brian found herself in a similar bind. Two Ghostbusters were supposed to visit her son’s sixth birthday.
“I made the mistake of putting on the invitations there would be a special guest,” O’Brian said.
Both moms had booked the characters through the same company — Party Ventures, LLC. Although the parties were several weeks ago, neither mom has yet to get a refund. O’Brian is owed $250 and Sage is out $150.
“I’m totally understanding things happen,” Sage said. “But when things happen you make up for your mistake. I shouldn’t have to fight for my money back.”
A lot seems to happen to the stars of Party Ventures. FOX 4 Problem Solvers heard from four moms — all of whom reported Super Hero or non-Hero — no shows.
The Lee’s Summit company, which does not have a city business license, is operated by a woman who seems to change her name a lot. Problem Solvers found her listed as Takila Holland, Kila Bryant or in an email she sent us — Kila Brown. Her company address is a private home in Lee’s Summit.
No one answered the door when we visited. But Takila did contact us by both phone and email. She insisted the women who wanted refunds hadn’t followed the proper procedures via PayPal. But that excuse made no sense to the women or Problem Solvers since PayPal’s own website states that refunds can be easily provided after the company (Party Ventures) clicks the refund button.
“Paypal said she didn’t even try to send you a refund,” Sage said.
FOX 4 Problem Solvers pointed out to Takila that she could write the moms a check or even give them a cash refund and we would be happy to deliver them.
But she refused. Now both moms have filed complaints with their credit card companies.
O’Brian said the money isn’t what she’s most upset about.
“For children to have faith and to believe in super heroes that they are good and fight for good, you just don’t take that from kids,” O’Brian said. “You don’t. It’s not right. And it’s not fair to them.”
The owner of Party Ventures, however, insisted she has many happy customers. Plus she said she can’t be held responsible for no-show super heroes. She said they are independent contractors and all she does is collect the money.
Of course she also owns the business.
Both Sage and O’Brian tell FOX 4 they plan to make up for the missing super heroes by hosting their own super hero party next month. Anyone whose own super hero was a no-show is invited to attend.
