Furniture Store Chain to Shut Down, but Corridor Location May Survive

Art Van Furniture's days are numbered. Beginning today, the company is liquidating merchandise and will be closing all the company-owned stores in four states.

The furniture chain of approximately 190 stores and more than 3,000 employees, founded in Michigan in 1959, is shuttering stores in Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio. They're all expected to close in early May. The stores are all owned by the company which was purchased by a private-equity firm in 2017. A Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing is expected by Art Van next week.

Art Van Furniture spokeswoman Diane Charles released a statement that said,

Despite our best efforts to remain open, the company’s brands and operating performance have been hit hard by a challenging retail environment. We recognize the extraordinary retail, community, and philanthropic legacies that Art Van Furniture has built for decades in the community.

Approximately 20 other stores are not owned by the company. One of those is the only Art Van location in Iowa. That store, in Coralville, may stay open with a different name, according to an employee of the store who spoke to the Gazette.