First Levitz, now Wickes

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Jeff
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First Levitz, now Wickes

Post by Jeff »

Open up the paper today, and goodbye Wickes.

Going out of business sale starts tomorrow at all Southern California stores.
Dean
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Re: First Levitz, now Wickes

Post by Dean »

Well, as they used to say, "Wickes, Surprisingly Wickes!"

They seemed to have been building new stores...so therefore I assumed that they were doing well.

With Levitz and Wickes gone, Heilig-Meyers a time back and RB Furniture YEARS ago, the nationwide furniture-only stores are becoming a thing of the past.

Where are people buying the majority of their furniture now?! Department stores?
Jeff
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Re: First Levitz, now Wickes

Post by Jeff »

Dean wrote: Where are people buying the majority of their furniture now?! Department stores?
Seems to be. Macy's has opened several furniture stores in the last few years around here, and now has departments in a lot of the stores taken over from Robinsons-May, or has created several Home/Furniture/Men combo stores.

I'm actally really surprised that Macy's converted the old Macy's store in Montebello (lol, old....it was only a few years old) into a home only store. 80,000 sq feet of nothing but furniture. I was shocked they didn't do this in West Covina.

Also, IKEA is still doing strong business, and locally, Living Spaces just opened their third warehouse.
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runchadrun
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Re: First Levitz, now Wickes

Post by runchadrun »

I was wondering the same thing about where people are buying furniture these days.

There's some information on the history of Wickes and its one-time parent Daylin Corporation in this thread: http://www.groceteria.com/board/viewtop ... f=29&t=931
wrallen99
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Re: First Levitz, now Wickes

Post by wrallen99 »

The only chain I have seen everywhere is Ashley, but I think they are all independently owned.
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buckhead
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Re: First Levitz, now Wickes

Post by buckhead »

Dean wrote: ...
With Levitz and Wickes gone, Heilig-Meyers a time back and RB Furniture YEARS ago, the nationwide furniture-only stores are becoming a thing of the past.

Where are people buying the majority of their furniture now?! Department stores?
Customers have apparently changed their buying preference from the warehouse-type store to retailers that present their offerings in actual room-type settings. Macy's has indeed expanded their furniture offerings to meet this market, which is kind of funny since Macy's and some of the stores it absorbed years ago were actually deemphasizing their furniture business. I guess you have to do SOMETHING with all those redundant storefronts. Sears also had their own standalone furniture and appliance stores for awhile. Still you will find some fairly extensive regional, if not national chains, such as Ashley, Badcock, Rooms to Go, Haverty, Adcock, Farmer's, Ethan Allen, Thomasville, and others.
Jeff
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Re: First Levitz, now Wickes

Post by Jeff »

Ethan Allen and Thomasville has had a history of closing many stores out here recently.

Here, there are a lot of independent, asian owned furniture stores too.
rich
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Re: First Levitz, now Wickes

Post by rich »

I thought Wickes went out of business years ago. Ethan Allen used to be entirely franchised, although I think they have some stores of their own now.

Although houses have gotten bigger, I don't think people have been going out of their way to fill the space with the kind of furniture people bought in the past, which was usually purchased on time payments. Credit cards mean that fewer people finance furniture, which has cut into a traditional profit center for stores. Even middle class shoppers used to buy furniture on time payments. Macy's seems to see an opening in all of these as so many mid-market chains go out of business and most of their competition is lacking or light in the home furnishings area. IKEA does well because they sell something for all but the poorest and wealthiest of shoppers--furniture for first apartments, kids rooms, home offices, etc.
Dean
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Re: First Levitz, now Wickes

Post by Dean »

Southern California is in the midst of a huge snow storm...seriously!

Noticed a news report from WICKES DRIVE in the Lancaster/Palmdale area.

I checked The Thomas Guide, and don't see a "true" street with such a name...so I assume the entrance to the former store's parking lot.

By naming the street/entrance after a chain...towns are bound to have to change the signs when a chain leaves. As mentioned on another post...the same exists a Mervyn's in the La Habra area.
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shane
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Re: First Levitz, now Wickes

Post by shane »

Dean wrote:Southern California is in the midst of a huge snow storm...seriously!

Noticed a news report from WICKES DRIVE in the Lancaster/Palmdale area.
That's palmdale formerly Kmart Plaza Drive
Dean
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Re: First Levitz, now Wickes

Post by Dean »

shane wrote:
Dean wrote:Southern California is in the midst of a huge snow storm...seriously!

Noticed a news report from WICKES DRIVE in the Lancaster/Palmdale area.
That's palmdale formerly Kmart Plaza Drive
Well, isn't that a hoot...that they had already changed the name once...and will need to do so again! Maybe they will not name the Drive after a chain!

This reminds me of the Irwindale CA COSTCO. Originally a Price Club.

Sign from the 210 freeway still refers to the center as Price Plaza. Center also has Price Self Storage.
MassMan
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Re: First Levitz, now Wickes

Post by MassMan »

Central Massachusetts/New England furniture buyers have a several places they can buy furniture and these are places that have become well known over the years from their owners/operators advertising on television/radio using themselves as pitchmen:

-Jordan's Furniture (with Barry and Elliott although now it's just Elliot as Barry left a year or two ago...this company is owned by Warren Buffet's company)

-Bernie and Phyl's (Bernie and Phyllis)

-Rotman's (Barry Rotman: "It's faaaaaaaaaaaantastic")

-Bob's Discount Furniture
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