Shopping for furniture before online dealers established themselves was a time-consuming chore, requiring visits to several stores to find the right piece for the appropriate room.
Consumers browsed through showrooms at major furniture retailers, such as Breuner’s Home Furnishings or Levitz Furniture, as well as regional and local stores, sitting on chairs and couches and lying on beds.
Once internet furniture dealers began to proliferate in the 1990s, customers could search hundreds of retailers’ inventories on their computers for the best deal and ideal piece. Of course, they couldn’t actually try out the furniture until it was delivered to their home, unless there was a local store nearby.
Historic Breuner’s was a popular furniture retailer
Prior to the 1990s, the furniture industry was vibrant with major national retailers dominating the market, such as Breuner’s, which was founded in 1856, and grew to as many as 50 stores. Breuners filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 2004 and converted to Chapter 7 liquidation.
Breuner’s remnant assets were purchased from the bankruptcy estate by Oak Point Partners in 2012.
98-year-old Levitz didn’t survive Great Recession
Then there was iconic Levitz Furniture, a national retailer founded in 1910, which filed for bankruptcy in 2007, liquidated and closed down all its stores in 2008 during the Great Recession. Levitz had grown to about 200 stores at one time.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic devastated the retail industry in 2020, a combination of economic problems have rocked the furniture industry leading to store closures and bankruptcies.
Housing market slowdowns, persistent inflation, and volatile supply chains were major challenges for the furniture industry, IBIS World reported. A distressed housing market, led by elevated mortgage rates and rising housing prices, has led to a decline in home sales and lower demand for new furniture.
American Signature filed for bankruptcy
Several furniture stores that operated for decades closed retail stores and in some cases filed for bankruptcy in 2025.
77-year-old retail chain operator American Signature Inc., which operated 120 stores in 17 states under the American Signature Furniture and Value City Furniture brands, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Nov. 22, after closing four Nashville-area stores in October.
American Signature operates in 17 states
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Missouri
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- West Virginia.
Also, Buddy’s Home Furnishings franchisee Buddy Mac Holdings LLC, which operates 47 franchises in eight states, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Dec. 4 to stop the foreclosure proceedings on three of its properties located in Texas, Missouri, and Illinois.
Buddy Mac owns 47 stores in 8 states
- Arkansas, 9 stores
- Florida, 1 store
- Illinois, 1 store
- Kansas, 1 store
- Missouri, 12 stores
- New Mexico, 4 stores
- Oklahoma, 8 stores
- Texas, 11 stores
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Tuskers Home Store goes out of business
And now, Florida-based furniture chain Tuskers is closing its locations after almost 20 years in business, as the company’s owner has decided to retire, Furniture Today reported.
Miramar Beach, Fla.-based Tuskers Home Store and Tuskers Furniture & Patio will begin final liquidation sales on Dec. 26, which will be managed by Planned Furniture Promotions, which specializes in retail home furnishing promotions. In addition to all inventory, Tuskers Home Store showroom is also for sale.
“Tuskers Home Store has been a meaningful part of this community, and their commitment to customers shows in the loyalty they’ve built. We’re honored to help them navigate this important chapter,” Tom Liddell, senior vice president of Planned Furniture Promotions, said.
Tuskers launched in the Great Recession
Tuskers, remarkably, opened its first store during the Great Recession in 2008, and the timing was good. The retailer was strategically positioned for success when the Miramar Beach area’s building and second-home market surged coming out of the recession and Tuskers business grew rapidly, Furniture Today reported.
More closings:
- Casual Mexican restaurant chain closes more locations
- 79-year-old national trucking company closes down, no bankruptcy
- 65-year-old Home Depot rival shutters business permanently
The retailer’s success prompted the opening of a second location, Tuskers Furniture & Patio Outlet, in 2012, offering quality furniture, fair prices, and complimentary in-store design guidance.
Tuskers offers coastal-inspired furniture styles, including reclaimed woods, outdoor living pieces, and complete room packages.
Tuskers furniture store locations
- Tuskers Home Store, 11224 US-98, Miramar Beach, Fla.
- Tuskers Furniture & Patio Outlet, 106 N. Geronimo St., Miramar Beach, Fla.
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