Stitch Boutique dispute continues

Details have emerged in a civil lawsuit between former co-owners of Stitch Boutique. Each former owner blames the other for the loss of the store’s merchandise, and a dispute has ensued over a store with the same name operating across the street from the first store’s location.

An Aug. 22 Sarasota police incident report states that the co-owners are involved in a civil dispute regarding $40,000 worth of merchandise that was allegedly stolen from the store.

Stitch Boutique co-owner Vince Sizemore alleged in the report that he arrived at the store Aug. 22 to find “all the property in the store was gone.”

Although Sizemore at first reported an unknown person must have robbed the store, police pressed the issue after it was discovered the store was not broken into and a key was used to enter the clothing boutique.

The report states that minutes later, Sizemore admitted to having “a problem with his partner” and explained he was trying to “buy out co-owner Kellie Campayno’s half” of the business for several months.

Although Sizemore did not tell police he believed she took the merchandise, the report states he stepped outside with his attorney before discussing the matter further.

Since that August report, Campayno has filed a lawsuit against Sizemore and V&K Enterprises Inc., seeking damages from a judge and claiming that Sizemore failed to divulge he was months behind on the store’s rent and in debt before she agreed to buy out his former business partner’s 50% share and subsequently loan the company $63,000.

In the Sept. 30 complaint, Campayno alleges the store was more than $6,000 behind in rent; clothing vendors were seeking thousands of dollars from Sizemore; and inventory she was led to believe was worth $70,000 was only worth $7,000.

Sizemore denies the allegations and has filed a counter suit seeking damages from Campayno. Sizemore claims Campayno stole the store’s merchandise in August; used a company credit card to pay for merchandise sent to her home; and stole money from the company’s bank account. Sizemore also claims Campayno knew of the company’s debts before signing the contract and agreed to waive her right to a salary and benefits in order to pay down the company’s debts.

Sizemore also alleges in his countersuit Campayno damaged his reputation in the clothing industry to sabotage his business and opened a new boutique, called Bohemian Bliss, Nov. 9, which resides in the former Stitch Boutique location at 1463 Main St.

Campayno, meanwhile, has filed a motion to disqualify Sizemore’s Sarasota attorney, Brandon Daniels, as counsel in the lawsuit. She claims Sizemore bartered $3,500 worth of store clothing for counsel payment to Daniels in a driving under the influence case regarding Sizemore. She also claims in the motion that Sizemore was responsible for the store’s Aug. 22 clothing theft. She claimed that Sizemore gave the clothing to Daniels.

Campayno’s disqualification motion claims that Daniels also acted as the registered agent for a company behind a new store, called Original Stitch Boutique, which sits directly across the street from Campayno’s Bohemian Bliss. The motion also claims Daniels can’t represent a client in a case in which he would likely be called to testify as a witness.

Jackie Daniels, wife of Daniels, contacted the Sarasota Observer Nov. 16 to report she’s the owner of Original Stitch Boutique and that someone smashed one of the windows about 2:30 a.m. that morning but didn’t take any merchandise.

Jackie Daniels said she is the sole owner of the store.

“All I can tell you is their partnership (Sizemore and Campayno’s) has dissolved and Vinnie (Sizemore) is a consultant for me,” Jackie Daniels said.

But when Sizemore was asked if he was an owner in the Original Stitch Boutique store, he said, “I don’t want to get into that now. Now’s not the time.”

Sizemore declined further comment. Daniels said he could not comment on the lawsuit.

Campayno, who also declined to comment on the civil matter, alleges in her civil complaint that Sizemore was originally listed as a manager/owner of Original Stitch Boutique in registered company documents before he was removed and replaced as a manager with his sister’s name listed in his place. Campayno has also filed a motion to stop Sizemore from using the Stitch Boutique name.

Campayno’s attorney did not return a phone call seeking comment for this story.

“I’m moving forward and excited about my new store,” Campayno said.