Inn Keeper, Police Get Kansas Tourist Her Money Back Cosmetics Shop On Duval Street Loses Big Sale

Inn Keeper Phil Amsterdam of The Curry Mansion noticed one of his guests, a 75-year-old visitor from Kansas, being escorted to her room by a sharply dressed young man carrying two bags of cosmetics from Treasur Rare, a Duval Street cosmetics shop, on Tuesday.

After speaking to his guest, he learned she had unknowingly spent $3,010 at the store and regretted the purchase.

Amsterdam called the Key West police and officer Scott Standerwick responded.

Amsterdam drove the distraught woman back to Treasur Rare,120 Duval Street, where they were met by Officer Standerwick . After Standerwick spoke briefly to the store’s employees a full refund was issued.

The tourist checked out of the Curry Mansion early the next morning cutting her 10 day vacation to only two nights and returned to Kansas early.

Mr Amsterdam said, ”We need to be vigilant and make our guests aware of the aggressive sales tactics of the cosmetics shops on Duval Street. If this was an isolated incident that would be one thing, but this seems to be happening daily, and its giving Key West reputation a black eye.”

The Key West Rip-Off Rapid Response Team, a local consumer advocacy group, praised the fast action by Amsterdam and officer Standerwick in making the recovery.

Team spokesperson Tevis Wernicoff said, “Quick action by a caring citizen and a kind policeman reversed what would have been another $3,000 cosmetic shop rip-off on Duval Street. Great work!”