Vacuum vendors irk residents

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A team of out-of-state vacuum salesmen have caused many complaints to the Jamestown Police Department this month.

Lt. Bruce Judd estimated the JPD has received more than 25 calls complaining about door-to-door vendors offering Kirby-brand vacuums. He said many residents were bothered by the salesmen’s high-pressure tactics and thought they were attempting some sort of scam.

Judd said the vacuum sellers are here legally and have a license to sell here for one year. He said police have approached them and suggested they tone down their sales pitches.

Kirby vacuums are sold by independent distributors who sell through in-home demonstrations, according to The Kirby Co.

The salesmen have also prompted several calls to the Jamestown Kirby Vacuum Center, said Duane Gehring, who owns the business with his wife, Kathy. They said they’ve received about six calls this week complaining about the door-to-door sales.

Duane Gehring said his business does service and warranty work on Kirby vacuums, as well as other brands, but he is not affiliated with the out-of-state salesmen. He said he was worried the salesmen, who are employed by a distributor based in Cheyenne, Wyo., would damage his business’s reputation.

“I’ve been here doing business and paying taxes for 30 years,” Duane Gehring said.

He said anyone with comments about the vendors is welcome to call him and he will forward the messages on to the Kirby factory. His business’ phone number is 701-252-1884.

The Gehrings said they’ve seen other traveling vendors offering different products in the Jamestown area lately and suspected the boom in the Oil Patch encouraged them.

“They hear on the news there’s oil in North Dakota and they come running,” Kathy Gehring said.

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