My experience was very similar. "Next week, next week, next week" until they finally said they never placed the orders with the manufacturers we placed with them and couldn't get the gear anymore "re-evaluating product lines."

I will say they did make it right financially, but very hard to manage projects that way, so we stopped buying anything that wasn't in stock to pick up that day. I tried to explain it wasn't about refunds and free stuff; rather honesty up front and dependability. I got a lecture in return and then our "account terminated" after telling them we couldn't continue to do business with them that way.

A shame is right. I don't know which was the chicken and which was the egg, i.e. if the distribution agreements didn't go with the sale or new ownership caused their own problems, but they killed a good business that was around for many years very quickly. Being up front and honest goes a long way, especially in tight-knit cottage industries like this.