located at 15701 Market Drive and 22741 Michigan Ave.
By ZEINAB NAJM
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN — The two Art Van stores in Dearborn will be closing after Art Van Furniture filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy March 9 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware.
Liquidation sales began March 6 with 20 to 40 percent off at Art Van Clearance Center & Outlet, 15701 Market Drive, and 40 percent off at Art Van PureSleep Mattress, 22741 Michigan Ave., according to the company’s website.
Employees at the Dearborn stores did not provide a definite date for the two store closings.
“After 60 years, Art Van Furniture is winding down its business,” the website said. “There is no bigger compliment than having a piece of Art Van furniture in your home.
“We want to offer our sincere thanks and appreciation to the scores of customers, associates, vendors, franchisees, charities and communities who supported us for decades. We understand there are many questions ranging from home deliveries to vendor payments. Please scroll for contact information.”
Customer service hours and a phone number, 888-427-8826, were provided as well as customer pickup locations and liquidation terms on the Art Van website.
At the time of the bankruptcy filling, Art Van had 169 stores in nine states and approximately 3,000 employees. Along with Michigan, Art Van Furniture, Art Van PureSleep and Scott Shuptrine Interiors in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Ohio will be shut down and liquidated.
In 2017, Thomas H. Lee Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm, bought a majority stake in the company a year before founder Archie Van Elslander died in 2018.
Van Elslander started with one retail store in East Detroit — which is now Eastpointe — and currently operates its headquarters in Warren.
“Despite our best efforts to remain open, the company’s brands and operating performance have been hit hard by a challenging retail environment,” Art Van Furniture Corporate Communications Vice President Diane Charles said in a statement. “On behalf of the company we want to offer our sincere appreciation to our employees for their dedication, commitment and hard work. We also want to extend our gratitude to the many customers, vendors, franchisees, charities and communities who have supported these retailers.”
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected])