A BELOVED high-end furniture shop is shutting down for good, hosting a massive going-out-of-business sale as it winds down its operations.
The 41-year-old company is urging shoppers to hurry in for the best selection before it shuts off the lights forever.
The home furnishings sector has struggled over the past few years and seen major changes, including a surge in online retail, evolving consumer priorities, and a number of closures.
Yet another furniture chain is joining the list and closing shop in the coming months.
Connecticut Home Interiors, an independent, high-end home furnishing company, is closing its doors for good later this year, per a notice on its website.
After serving its community for decades, Connecticut Home Interiors will be no longer, waving off its loyal shoppers with liquidation sales.
“For 41 years Connecticut Home Interiors has been proud to serve our community of customers with their premier home furnishing needs,” reads the notice.
“We are extremely grateful for your loyalty and support throughout the years. So it is with reserved excitement that we are CLOSING OUR DOORS… FOREVER!”
US braces for ‘45,000 store closures’
Some 45,000 bricks-and-mortar stores could close in the next five years, experts have warned.
Several major retailers have announced store closures or gone out of business altogether in recent years.
In 2023, chains such as Foot Locker announced plans to close up to 400 outlets by 2026.
While, other well-known retailers like Tuesday Morning and Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams filed for bankruptcy in 2023.
Bed Bath & Beyond has closed all of its brick-and-mortar stores and is now an online-only retailer.
The most affected retailers have been clothing, consumer electronics, sporting goods, hobby, book, music, and home furnishing stores since the start of 2019.
UBS has predicted the total number of retail stores will drop by 45k from 958k to 913k.
Despite that, the report says that certain stores should thrive while others decline.
It said retailers such as Walmart, Costco, Home Depot, and Target, could be among the winners.
The furniture company shut down last Tuesday and Wednesday in preparation for its sale, officially rolling out discounts starting last Thursday.
“Come in for the greatest savings ever during our biggest beautiful sale,” encourages the site.
The company revealed that it must sell all of its remaining inventory as soon as possible, which means immediate availability on all stock for its customers.
Connecticut Home Interiors promised that there would be no waiting, with shoppers able to buy and take home their selections in the same day.
The retailer urged consumers to hurry for the best deals, noting that shoppers could save up to thousands of dollars on the finest brand names that Connecticut Home Interiors is known for.
The company also clarified that delivery would be available during the liquidation sales, and that outstanding orders would still be fulfilled as the company proceeded with its closing down operations.
SHUTTING SHOP
The business, owned by 83-year-old Tom Hall, has been operating at 830 Farmington Avenue in West Hartford since 1983.
Hall sold the building for $2.4 million last May to his listing agent, Michael Guidicelli of Regions Commercial Real Estate Advisors.
Bankrupt furniture chains
Several furniture chains have gone bankrupt recently, including:
- American Mattress
- At Home
- The RoomPlace
- American Freight
- Walker Edison Furniture Company LLC
The sale included an agreement for Connecticut Home Interiors to lease the property for at least one year.
“We took a good, good lease arrangement, and we’re going to be there for a while and just keep selling,” Hall said at the time.
Moving forward, Guidicelli also owns the property next to Connecticut Home Interiors, at 820 Farmington Avenue, although he has not announced his plans for the two properties.
Over a year after selling the showroom building, Hall’s decision to retire means that the longstanding shop will soon shut off its lights.
“I’m deeply thankful for the support this community has provided over the years and for the many friendships that grew out of the store,” the owner shared in a release to a local outlet.
“As I step into retirement, I carry with me a deep appreciation for everyone who has been part of this journey,” he said.
While Connecticut Home Interiors’ impending shutdown is driven by the owner’s retirement, many other furniture companies have closed or filed for bankruptcy due to financial struggles.
“Home furnishings retailers have yet to rebound from the post-pandemic slump, with major players from low- to high-end markets reporting drops in first-quarter sales — as rising mortgage rates and a related slowdown in home sales continue to weigh on demand for big-ticket furniture and home improvement projects,” data journalist Hyunsoo Rim wrote for Forbes.
One popular furniture chain, for example, confirmed that 29 spots are on the chopping block after a bankruptcy filing – see if your store is at risk.
Meanwhile, a beloved “budget friendly” furniture brand sold at Target and Walmart will completely close down by 2025.
Connecticut Home Interiors is shutting down for good as its owner retires[/caption]
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