April 22, 2020 521 PM
TRI-COUNTY — Have you paid too much for meat at Quarters grocery store in Alpine?
Probably not, because a store with that name does not appear to exist. And yet the nonexistent store has so far been the target of the only coronavirus-related price-gouging complaint in the tri-county area, according to records from the Texas attorney general’s office.
The document also includes the name and contact information of the person who reportedly filed the complaint. But when The Big Bend Sentinel called the number, the person on the other end did not recognize the name from AG records and said she had not filed a price-gouging complaint.
The Texas AG’s office says it takes such price gouging “seriously” and has issued “stern warnings” to businesses not to hike prices during a pandemic. As of Monday, it’s received over 8,500 coronavirus-related complaints, including over 7,500 complaints of alleged price-gouging.
In the tri-county, though, those efforts raise more questions than answers. After weeks of inquiries from The Big Bend Sentinel, the Texas attorney general’s office could not provide more clarity on the Alpine complaint.
The Big Bend Sentinel first requested records on all price-gouging complaints in the tri-county area in March, after the Marfa City Council considered — but ultimately decided against — filing a price-gouging complaint against Porter’s.
The AG’s office quickly honored that request. The office’s one local record, from March 23, involves Quarters. The store was selling chicken for $14, the two-page document notes, citing a report from a complainant. Ground meat was going for $10.
After informing the AG’s office that such a store does not appear to exist, the AG’s office repeatedly said it would contact its Consumer Protection Division to clear up the confusion. But as of this week, The Big Bend Sentinel has still received no more clarity on the complaint.
Finally, on Monday, a spokesperson said the complaint was “received by voicemail” and acknowledged there could have been “a mistake in either giving or receiving the information” in the complaint.
Complainants can withdraw complaints or refile them if there is an error, that spokesperson said. The agency also documents if it can’t contact complainants, she said.
Because Porter’s has a similar name, runs two grocery stores in Alpine and was the subject of a Marfa City Council meeting on price increases last month, The Big Bend Sentinel asked the AG’s office if the complaint might concern Porter’s, which does exist, rather than Quarters, which does not.
In the response, the AG’s office said it could not “confirm or deny investigations” but that the office was “aware” of allegations involving the store.
Ky Ellison, a spokesperson for Porter’s, said on Monday that was news to him.
“We have not heard anything from the Texas attorney general’s office,” he said. “Nor do we expect to.”
The Big Bend Sentinel has asked the AG’s office for updated information on price-gouging complaints in the Big Bend.
