Repair firm in Fla. sues competitor

Palm City, Fla.— Reliable Furniture Repair, a repair service for furniture retailers, has sued another Florida company claiming unfair competition.

In a complaint filed in Martin County Circuit Court, Reliable claims that its competitor, FSA Network, offered to pay Reliable's contractors

In addition, Reliable claimed that its former operations manager had violated a non-compete agreement by going to work for FSA.

In January, a judge granted a temporary injunction prohibiting FSA and the former manager from soliciting business from Reliable's customers, which include Rooms To Go, Baer's, City Furniture, Havertys and several others. The court also barred FSA and the former manager from having contact with Reliable's independent contractors and technicians.

Still pending before the court is Reliable's claim for unspecified monetary damages against the defendants. Efforts at settlement have not been productive, said Charlie Conigliaro, president of Reliable. FSA did not return phone calls seeking comment on the case.

Conigliaro said the actions by FSA hurt his business, but only briefly. "The loyalty from my clients was overwhelming. We've been here 10 years doing this," he said.