SASKATOON -- Customers of Beverly Ashdown Day Spa say they feel they’ve been scammed.

The spa announced it was closing during COVID-19 shutdowns and was driving people to the spa’s online store.

“She ended up pulling the website last week, the shopping end of it so none of us can do anything with our gift cards,” Taryn Essar told CTV News.

Essar has $275 in gift cards that she got from her employer earlier this year.

Essar claims the spa owner told customers that she would honour the gift cards at the online store, but says that hasn’t happened.

“We have all had people buy the cards with hard earned money and it’s worse now with so many people losing their jobs because of the pandemic,” Essar said.

Essar added she understands businesses are facing tough times but she says she thinks the closure was handled improperly, claiming gift cards were still being sold up until Mother’s Day in mid-May.

Initially Essar said she wasn’t upset by the salon closure even though she typically went to the spa for pedicures because she appreciated the online shopping option.

“Well if anything I’d splurge on a new purse with the money.”

She started up a Facebook page to see if anyone else was in the same situation. It’s called ‘People That Still Have Beverly Ashdown Gift Cards’ and has almost 40 followers.

Comments on the page range from customers saying their gift cards don’t work to positive input.

One comment from early June claimed the spa owner had reached out to him or her and said the problem would be resolved.

CTV News tried to reach out to the business, but all phone lines are disconnected and emails aren’t being returned.

Essar says Beverly Ashdown herself sent out an email to customers around the end of March saying she was closing.

The website says:

“To our loyal and valued guests …through much discussion and agonizing, I have decided to permanently close the spa. I want to deeply thank each one of you for your loyalty and support over the years.”

Essar has reached out to the consumer protection agency of Saskatchewan who are looking into the claim.