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[Mary Bailey]

Another chain store bites the dust 

I liked the store!

I have a reclining chair-and-a-half from there.

[Rockycoast]

Never heard of this store. Where are they located?

[Mary Bailey]

I'm in Illinois. There is one in Woodridge

[Diva on The Q]

@Rockycoast:  Art Van Furniture stores are located in the midwest. The first store opened in Michigan in the late 50's. The other stores are located in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Iowa.

[Rockycoast]

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@Diva on The Q wrote:

@Rockycoast:  Art Van Furniture stores are located in the midwest. The first store opened in Michigan in the late 50's. The other stores are located in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Iowa.

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I'm on the NorthEast coast. That explains why I haven't heard of these stores.  Still sorry to hear of another B and M store going under. I didn't think people bought furniture online. I like touching, feeling the fabric, sitting on the piece. But I guess online shopping affets all stores in some way.

[Snowpuppy]

I'm in Northern MI and Art Van was once a nice, family owned, mid priced store.

I read in the Detroit Free Press (freep dot com) the chain was sold to investors in 2017 who went on to also acquire other furniture chains in other states. All highly leveraged, bought with little money and lots of debt. Art Van family members are meeting to see if they can repurchase stores from the investment firm with court approval.

While investors say Ikea and Wayfair drove them out, I think it was lack of vision and poor quality furniture. 

Not everyone wants to park cheap schlock in their living room.

[jpie]

This was posted about nine hours ago from a local St. Louis TV station, KSDK 

The retailer acquired the five St. Louis-area stores from Jay Steinback in 2019 after he closed the family-owned Rothman Furniture and announced he'd be converting several locations into Art Van Furniture stores, according to the St. Louis Business Journal.

(The retailer noted above was Art Van).  I never went in to their stores, but they had a lot of ads on TV when they changed from Rothman Furniture to Art Van.  It looked like some nice merchandise!

[Bird mama]

I'm in Michigan.  On the one hand I was stunned because the store had been in business since 1959.  On the other hand, I haven't been impressed with what they have been offering since Mr. VanElslander sold off the company in 2017.  I'm writing this while sitting on a couch that I bought from Art Van (their Copper Harbor Collection) in 2009.  It was pricey and I stalked it for nearly a year waiting for it to go on sale.  I've bought recliners from them in the past too.  Sad to see another local furniture store bite the dust.

[mrssims]

I buy sofas that last maybe 8-10 years and what looks good and in style. Now maybe your lifestyle allow you to spend a lot or a little on furniture. I spend about $2000 to $3000 and for us that's not inexpensive. I do not know how one can buy  furniture without sitting on it, seeing and feeling fabric. 

[ID2]

Nope not all stores are closing. Here in Michigan, the Gaylord and Sault Ste Marie stores will remain open but eventually will change their name.