A local graphic design firm is in a legal showdown with Richmond’s newest shooting range.
Acorn Sign Graphics has sued Colonial Shooting Academy over uncollected fees for work it performed on the high-end West Broad Street indoor gun range.
Acorn, headquartered on West Clay Street, claims it is owed $82,412 for the recently opened academy’s interior and exterior signage.
According to the complaint filed this month in Henrico County Circuit Court, the academy hired Acorn in August 2011 to design and install several outdoor signs to the tune of $142,000.
The academy made a down payment of $67,502 and agreed to pay the remaining half of the balance upon completion. Acorn, according to the suit, completed the designs in December and installed the largest piece April 19.
In addition to outdoor work, Acorn also claims the academy owes about $7,300 for time the company spent designing interior signs.
Colonial opened its 60,000-square-foot building in the spring after a multimillion-dollar build-out to become one of the largest indoor ranges in the country.
Richard Gonet, an attorney with Chaplin & Gonet representing Acorn, said the academy’s signs were completed on time and up to the academy’s standards. Although the two sides never worked out a payment plan, Gonet said Acorn sent multiple invoices to the academy for the balance.
The academy ignored those requests, Gonet said.
“What they have told me is that signs didn’t go up fast enough, and they are now asking for a discount,” Gonet said. “But they made no mention of a discount until a payment was requested.”
Marc Robinson, an attorney with RTR Law Group representing Colonial Shooting Academy, said the case is mainly a dispute about timing. He said the signs were supposed to go up in February, but the date got pushed back to April.
Gonet said Acorn was not at fault for the delay, which was caused by a mix-up over the placement of a power line.
Robinson said that he couldn’t speak to reason for the delay but that the signs were not installed before the academy opened to the public.
“It’s my understanding most businesses want their signs installed before opening day,”
Robinson said.
Robinson said he hopes the suit can be settled out of court.
“This just isn’t a meeting of the minds,” Robinson said. “We’re trying to address the issue and satisfactorily resolve it.”
Steve Gillispie, co-owner of Acorn, did not return calls for comment by press time.
Ed Lacy, a partner at Colonial Shooting Academy, did not return calls seeking comment.
A local graphic design firm is in a legal showdown with Richmond’s newest shooting range.
Acorn Sign Graphics has sued Colonial Shooting Academy over uncollected fees for work it performed on the high-end West Broad Street indoor gun range.
Acorn, headquartered on West Clay Street, claims it is owed $82,412 for the recently opened academy’s interior and exterior signage.
According to the complaint filed this month in Henrico County Circuit Court, the academy hired Acorn in August 2011 to design and install several outdoor signs to the tune of $142,000.
The academy made a down payment of $67,502 and agreed to pay the remaining half of the balance upon completion. Acorn, according to the suit, completed the designs in December and installed the largest piece April 19.
In addition to outdoor work, Acorn also claims the academy owes about $7,300 for time the company spent designing interior signs.
Colonial opened its 60,000-square-foot building in the spring after a multimillion-dollar build-out to become one of the largest indoor ranges in the country.
Richard Gonet, an attorney with Chaplin & Gonet representing Acorn, said the academy’s signs were completed on time and up to the academy’s standards. Although the two sides never worked out a payment plan, Gonet said Acorn sent multiple invoices to the academy for the balance.
The academy ignored those requests, Gonet said.
“What they have told me is that signs didn’t go up fast enough, and they are now asking for a discount,” Gonet said. “But they made no mention of a discount until a payment was requested.”
Marc Robinson, an attorney with RTR Law Group representing Colonial Shooting Academy, said the case is mainly a dispute about timing. He said the signs were supposed to go up in February, but the date got pushed back to April.
Gonet said Acorn was not at fault for the delay, which was caused by a mix-up over the placement of a power line.
Robinson said that he couldn’t speak to reason for the delay but that the signs were not installed before the academy opened to the public.
“It’s my understanding most businesses want their signs installed before opening day,”
Robinson said.
Robinson said he hopes the suit can be settled out of court.
“This just isn’t a meeting of the minds,” Robinson said. “We’re trying to address the issue and satisfactorily resolve it.”
Steve Gillispie, co-owner of Acorn, did not return calls for comment by press time.
Ed Lacy, a partner at Colonial Shooting Academy, did not return calls seeking comment.
You can’t do business on a handshake. You have to have it in writing. Period.
I run a custom home building company here in the Richmond area and I do everything from my design work, consulting work, sub-contractors, and build work on contracts. Otherwise you are asking for trouble.