BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Frustrated Ashley Furniture customers should be contacted soon about furniture they haven't received, but deliveries may not come until the end of April.

In the meantime, corporate officials say there's a "good chance" the local store will close after some kind of liquidation event.

In the last few weeks, Eyewitness News has heard from 38 angry customers who said they paid for furniture months ago, and they have yet to get it.

On Wednesday, Ashley Furniture Industries officials in Wisconsin released details on how local customers will get items they have paid for.

"We will be calling all customers who are waiting for their Ashley Furniture from the Bakersfield, Calif., store to schedule all outstanding deliveries starting on Feb. 24," reads the statement from Vice President Ben Thorud. "Furniture deliveries will be completed by April 24."

The corporation outlined why the problems happened.

"Due to financial difficulties, the owners of the Ashley Furniture HomeStore in Bakersfield, Calif., have not met their commitments to their customers nor to Ashley Industries Inc.," the statement reads.

Eyewitness News was first to start investigating complaints about the local Ashley store last August when customers said they did not get free gas that was promised in a sales promotion.

At that time, local owner Frank Van Ostrand told Eyewitness News the promotion was handled by a separate company, but Ashley would work to make things right for the customers.

"We'll stay in contact with you and with them to let you know how we progress with the lawyers," Van Ostrand said, sitting in the large store on Rosedale Highway.

Then last November, more customers told Eyewitness News they could not get furniture delivered when Ashley promised it. The customers had already paid for the items. They also couldn't get refunds.

Ashley provided a spokesman, the customers contacted him and said they quickly got either the refund they wanted or the furniture.

But, more complaints started to pour in again by mid-January. Many customers said they bought furniture in late December, and waited many weeks after the promised delivery date but got no furniture.

Customers said they could not get any answers from the local store or corporate officials.

In the Wednesday statement, the company said it is now "stepping in" to make sure the Bakersfield customers get the Ashley furniture they've bought.

"We are committed to you, our customers, and we want to ensure that you receive the Ashley Furniture that you purchased from the Bakersfield store," the statement reads. "Our customers are extraordinarily important to us, and we apologize for any anxiety, frustration or inconvenience that this has caused you."

As Eyewitness News has reported, the Ashley building is now listed as "for lease" by CB Richard Ellis.

Ashley Vice President Thorud said another company (SPCI) is "working with the local licensee to do some sort of store closure or liquidation event," and there's a good chance the store would shut down after that happens. He said first, the current customers will be taken care of, and the landlord of the building must approve of any changes.

Thorud said the landlord is out of the country till next week. He also confirmed the current licensee is Frank Van Ostrand.

But, Thorud could not say exactly how many customers had been left waiting for delivery of the furniture they bought from the local Ashley.

"I don't have the exact numbers," Thorud said. "We're now pulling the unfilled orders."

He hoped to have the specific numbers by Thursday.

"Thank you again for your patience, and we again apologize for the frustration and inconvenience posed by this issue. We're looking forward for the opportunity to make this right for you," concludes the statement.

As for waiting possibly as long as April 24 to get their furniture, several customers told Eyewitness News that's "ridiculous."

Customer Kris Renick was more outraged.

"You wouldn't be able to put on air what I feel, so I would probably take the fifth," she told Eyewitness News on Wednesday afternoon. "I don't want to deal with them at all in the future. I'd rather have my money back."

Renick said she has filed legal action against the local store and corporation, and at least one other customer said he wants to look into some kind of class action suit against the store.

The company said any customers who have questions can call 395-3400 to get information and updates on deliveries.