Show w irinmii si ipWl f J Lifestyle She jklt fake $dbunc 24 1987 Saturday Morning— January Section A Page 10 You get what you pay for’ in vacation certificates By Nancy LTribune tion certificates" seemed put to use in a growing number of ways Hobbs Lifestyle Writer Prspect of a January vacation h?n (rancun- - Mexico leaving !?y shivering mid-teetempera- unrf v°f Salt Lake City was what Jim Nancy Barron had in mind when they purchased for $99 each advertised "tickets" for round-triairlare and accommodations in the Mexican resort town instead of flying to a winter paradise however the couple found themselves early this year faced w’ith making a vacation choice between Bullfrog Nev or a resort in Horjda They opted for neit r — their'jninds firmly set on t’ancun -andsked for a refund The check supposedly "in the mail” has yet to arrive Phone calls inquiring about the refund status go unanswered " business — if they had to submit to a sales pitch for a condominium or time-shar- e property They were assured they wouldn't A lot of people were goirg in and out of the sales office while they were there which the couple decided was an indicator of the company’s good standing The Barrons discussed the vacation offer with another couple All decided they would gamble $99 each figuring that if the deal was as good as it sounded they would be ahead If they lost the money perhaps it would be an expensive lesson they were willing to learn The problem was Mrs Barron said that the initial $99 bought the "certificates” common promotion is the letter notifying an individual that he’s won a prize in a particular category and that all he needs to do is pick it up at the specified address As the individual reads on he discovers that he’s obligated to listen to a sales pitch Another angle is dangling the vacatemptation of a super-cheation including round-tri- p airfare for one and accommodations for two In accepting the offer the buyer agrees to purchase the other airfare through the company offering the vacation The individual is required to buy a e ticket but is flown to the destination on a charter plane The company covers its vacation expense with the one airfare purchase because the ticket is usually several hundred dollars more than cost the actual charter-fligh- t "They vacation certificates! always have some kind of hook in them so you'll have to put up some money or submit to a sales pitch’’ Mr Beadle said The Barrens were initially leery about the Mexican vacation they saw advertised last spring admitted Mr Barron They specifically asked the advertising company — Perk Place Travel which has since gone out of A n p p last-minu- full-pric- The foursome then submitted the certificates as directed to Resort Vacations Canoga Park Calif That company demanded a $200 deposit per couple refunded on their return from Mexico They decided to stay a fourth night for an additional $50 per couple The two couples are now nearly $1000 poorer and are dreaming of sandy beaches rather than lying on full-pric- e Their mistake the Barron? admitted was initially believing the "unbe- lievable" offer They are among a grow ing number of people who swallow — hook line and sinker so to speak — the idea of vacation certificates' that turn out to be "premium-in-exchange- " deals According to Bill Beadle president Better Business Bureau of Greater Salt Lake the idea of “vaca company made contact several times and sent pictures of the resort where the vacationers would be staying The company notified the Barrons a month before they were scheduled to go to Cancun that January was the resort's busiest time and as a result the couples wouldn’t be able to go as planned They could reschedule the Mexico vacation after April 15 or if their vacations were committed to the January dates could instead go to Nevada or Florida “We decided we wanted our money refunded which we were told would be no problem before we ever gave them anything” Mrs Barron said Since making the refund request earlythis month and complying with the company’s demand for proof of payments sent by registered mail Mrs Barron hasn't been able to get hold of anyone at Resort Vacations other than an answering service She estimated they've spent at least $50 in telephone charges because she's called every morning trying to elicit some response long-distan- In more recent attempts to catcb someone’s attention and at least gel some kind of return on their money The Barrons’ story presents a mor- - al Before entering into a “vacation certificate” or “coupon book” contract Mr Beadle suggested checking prices for airfare and accommodations to the same destination through “At this point I would go to Florida reputable tour companies for three days rather than lose evFinancially — not to mention emoerything” she said tionally — there may be a deal that’s The couple has learned that the as good or even better in the long run For those who do choose to go the California Attorney General filed a vacation-certificat- e route the Better civil complaint against Resort Vacations last August alleging that the Business Bureau urged consumer caution and suggested carefully incompany has engaged in false advervestigating buyer obligations and the and unfair business tising practices of unannounced changes in possibility Included in a list of complaints Get the specific name of against Resort Vacations the Attor- itinerary the hotel or resort facility and verify ney General's office alleges that the in advance its arrangement with the company has ‘‘failed to provide refunds to purchasers who cancelled vacation sales company In advance of the trip personally vacations in accordance with Resort and Vacations’ cancellation require- verify individual accommodation flight reservations — including reserments” vations for the flight back “The old saying that ‘You get what In September the California Superior Court handed down a prelimiyou pay for’ is a good thing to keep in mind when dealing with vacation cernary injunction against Resort tificates” summed up Mr Beadle she told the answering service she had changed her mind and did want to choose another vacation them Resort Vacations had given the couples reason to believe everything was legitimate Mrs Barron said The It’s always the year of the dog for patrons at the dogramat jt K By Dave Larsen Los Angeles Times Writer LOS ANGELES — From time to time according to Reva Faver somebody will poke his head into the door arvd ask "What s a dogramatr’ £WelI first we put your pet into a washing machine" shfll reply “Then we generally use the permanent-pres' u s cycle for the dryer" you know what’’" she asked with a wink "Some "(them actually believe it" JNol surprisingly pet haps because not every block tors such an establishment - nor do manv towns ?lt was im vers own idea" Faver said "And for mijrly five years now it has worked: having a place w(iere dog owners can r ent a tub and water and towel" ami brushes and not have to worry about any cleaning afterward" n And added customer Shiz Nishimolo sponging her poodle with shampoo: "I don't get a backache any more fiofn leaning over my bathtub at home" tnside Jaxon's Dogramat are shelves of pet aceesso-nfc- s and two stalls Each stall is equipped with an elestainless-stee- l tub (with wooden vated custom-buil- t platform so the pet will not slip) a rubber-matteiBch from which the animal can jump into the tub a spray hose with temperature controls even a blow dryer ’Since this was new it was trial and error" Faver said "Originally we had a ramp running from the tub to the floor but we soon found out that dogs don't want to walk up or down a ramp" Some dogs in fact require that the owner get into the tub first rThat's the only way Bosco will agree to it" said adlor Bruce Abbott who showed up with a Bernard mix The animal is German Shepherd-S- t uwned by him and his wife actress Linda Hamilton vRon Sandler was there with his Irish setter Mum wjjo did everything nn command H'p and in!" the owner barked and his per dutifully leaped up without harking About half an hour later wken it was all over the owner commanded "OK fitike!'’ And Aheu did just that JSishimoto had to place her small poodle Cindy in the metal tub but once inside the stray the woman had adopted sat peacefully as shampoo and then conditioner were worked in - It s the same conditioner I use myself" Nishimuio said "Cindy loves it and she loves this place My hus band and I have two other dogs and it used to he that wfcen we were driving to a regular grooming place they would sense it and jump into the back seat when wp got near Now when we are walking them and they puss by here they tug at their leashes and want to stop All of which etor doesn't surprise the Dogramat proprik traumatized by a bath any more than you are” Faver said "And when an oumer does his or her own dog a rapport develops" But too often it is the owner who is traumatized if he has to do the job at home "A dog shouldn’t be "As if the kneeling and the backaches weren't enough afterward you have all that mess in the bathtub to clean up and the hair goes down and clogs the drain" Nishimolo said And in a case such as Bosco where a home tub is not big enough the only alternative used to be cold water in the yard from a hose Paul Linke one of the stars on the former "CHiPs" television series is a regular at the dogramat with Moses his Doberman "Moses hates cold water" Linke said "He even runs when I fill his drinking bowl And when I used to try and wash him with a hose things really got negative He didn’t like it and gave me a hard time and then I would get heavy on him d push-butto- -- d "Things are different now I'm not destroying my hack and he doesn’t mind the water because it's warm" Everything at Jaxon's (named after the owner's Gerfirst-us- e e — no reservaman shepherd) is tions The tub rental is $8 for short-hai- r dogs less than 80 pounds $10 for bigger ones and $10 to $20 for s with no time limit in any case first-com- long-hair- Ron Sandler lathers Aheu in a stall at Los Angeles dogwash place giving pet own- - average of 10 pel owners a day use the facilities After each usage the tub is sprayed with a disinfectant and rinsed with boiling water For an extra charge Faver or an assistant will do the grooming or provide products remedies and so forth Advice is free An flea-contr- dry-ski- id - —i He ill use any excuse to brinn you the very best allies — ev eryday — in made to order sofas Good Fabric Selection ii i i PITS & PENDULUM CHAIRS featuring SWING LOW PENDULUM CHAIR in the 10 PC PIT I Gimrl Back High Bark Tuss Pillow Bark Sleeper Reg $499 — $219 Sale $OQQ AdUU LOVE SEAT Mtns in k (or 7r WESTCRAFT $199 DE UNDERSOLD 15000000 Camel back Sofa " JC 6 Softee Sofa Oil SALE lciVil itiiiq situy of a pharmacist ulioilcu wrinkle cream winch women all ou-- the munii) arc m l r i limiirmi tor with knlvit Heldtond is makllie cosmetic ns I Its cream Mis dream since phaniiacx school lias - eowmi- reeonl soiled m a wrinkle cream winch u-is licliK and Mores praised ales m department me cosmeticians and customerkc- cauh Ijh tests show that In duh me mm I It f mi' ir ' cream smooths icial hues Ihnu'mds s I moss 0iumir are so 'leased to tmd lhit Ito IS m mi I v ' w lint lc Ill-t- - i cream a moisturizer a day cream and make-u- p base Pharmacist Helillomi's LBS cream is ereaseless and leaves the skin soft velvety and younger-lookinIt contains Liproeen and other effective ingredients If v ou are o mcerned about your skin appearing to he aeme tooquicklv trv some LBS cream One jar lasts tor months and is sold wiili a money back guarantee g Us'o Available' I i i l I I H's ni-- lil Another Heldtond Product eb5 Body Lotion rh p Z C IVI I j ol ii s nd In til ii iMirrM wlt J vuu akt ‘ It rft 579 uA- - to 60 SOFAS CHAIRS SLUR SOFAS LOVB SEATS 579 SECTIONAL SOFAS MODULAR SOFAS ETC Recover Sale! Save 50 must clear out our entire inventory to make room lor new models from our factory Prices drastically reduced! We 42 STYLES TO CMOOM FROM! UNIQUE STYLES W RICH FABRICS 7 $379 & Love Seat invEirroBY is Sectional 272-924- 7 Hclittn WE ARE THE FAGTOr 30 3 Pc Indiner s779 the Made to Order Sofa Co 3939 Highland Dr Visa Mastercard 90 Day I we CAN’T SAVE CQ NW f Three Sola Styles I M M OSM1I K HISIOIO ('ls Robert Heldtond He G'owijs co'innq mto department sto'es across the country to see Phjrmacst Cream Wrinkle tns ED5 above p tumd showing ’ $449 respect to all creatures great and small every year is the year of the dog at Jaxon's So with due I’ll KM $1 Doorcrasher — Bristol Sofa "When I first opened in the Chinese year of the dog I let a lady bring in her cat” Faver said "It got loose knoeke own bottles tried to climb the wall I also let one guv bring in his raccoon Same result " Wrinkle Cream Great Success Clearance Sale up) "And I always point out that the dog should be allowed to shake at will Shaking while wet is a natural instinct with animals" ADVERTISEMENT January SALE 178th BIRTHDAY (look it -- ' ers somewhere to bathe their pets other than making a mess of family bathroom EDGAR ALLAN POE n "When somebody walks in for the first time Ins words will invariably be that his dog doesn't like baths" she said "I tell him to make the experience as stress-fre- e as possible for the animal Dogs incidentally are the only ones allowed rental tubs t all ck on Fabrics Fabulous Selection1 SOFA STORY 0 OATS SAME At CASH EAST TERM 2700 South Stall 4047653 6200 So Stroller St (380 W) Murray 6 Enter off 5900 So at 380 West 264-127- Daily 10-- 7 SoS 10-- 6 t |