(Pittsburgh) - Levin Furniture, which was the largest furniture store chain in Northeast Ohio until its parent company went bankrupt, has been revived by former owner Robert Levin.
Levin told WTAM that he had intended to retire when he sold his furniture stores in the Cleveland and Pittsburgh areas to Art Van, a Michigan-based furniture store chain. However, Art Van went bankrupt, and ended up abruptly closing all the stores it owned, putting about 1,000 employees out of work, and leaving thousands of customers left hanging in the dark because their deposits for orders would not be refunded.
He says, "I felt something needed to be done. It never occurred to me when I sold that the company would go belly-up within a few years."
Levin made the bold move of buying back his stores from the bankruptcy court, and reopening them. He has hired back about half of the 1.000 former employees. In addition, Levin sent letters to all the customers who had made deposits, saying he'll honor them, and he'll give them further discounts on anything else they purchase..
Levin Furniture was able to reopen stores in Avon, Mentor, Oakwood Village, Middleburg Heights, and Canton. Also open are mattress stores in Mayfield Heights and Strongsville.
(Photo courtesy Levin Furniture)
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