According to The Sun, A family-owned furniture chain with over 80 years of history is preparing to shut down one of its most beloved stores. Conlin’s Furniture has announced that its Grand Forks location on South Washington Street will close its doors following a final sale aimed at clearing out inventory.
Reasons for Closure
The decision to close the Grand Forks store comes in response to a significant increase in online shopping and rising inflation. Melanie Stone, an event manager assisting with the closure, noted that the owners observed a slowdown in foot traffic and a diminished urgency among customers to make purchases.
Despite this closure, Conlin’s will continue to operate 14 other stores across multiple states, which remain unaffected by this decision.
Liquidation Sales Underway
While no official closure date has been set, Conlin’s is currently holding massive sales with deep discounts to clear out its entire inventory. The store building is also listed for sale, as reported by GrandForksHerald. Stone emphasized the store’s long-standing role in the community, stating, “We’re kind of making it like a celebration, getting your last opportunity to purchase and everything.”
Many eligible employees from the Grand Forks location are expected to be transferred to other Conlin’s stores.
A Troubling Retail Landscape
The closure of Conlin’s Grand Forks store is part of a larger trend of retail shutdowns across the United States. Several other retailers have faced mass closures following bankruptcy filings this year. Big Lots recently confirmed its Chapter 11 filing, announcing plans for around 545 store closures. Similarly, LL Flooring has decided to shut down half of its over 400 locations after a quiet bankruptcy filing.
Clothing Retailers Follow Suit
The clothing retail sector has not been spared from this wave of closures. Express filed for bankruptcy in April, announcing that nearly 100 of its locations would close permanently. Rue21 has also filed for bankruptcy, planning to shut down all of its remaining stores after a previous filing in the early 2000s.
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The End of Kmart
Meanwhile, the last remaining big-box Kmart will soon close its doors as the iconic retail chain approaches its end. The store in Bridgehampton, New York, is set to shut down by October 20, with liquidation sales already in progress, offering discounts of up to 40 percent. The exact reasoning behind Kmart’s closure has not been disclosed.
Kmart’s store count in the U.S. has dwindled to just a few locations over the years, with only three operational in 2022. After October 20, only a smaller Miami store will remain open, operating more like a convenience store and selling only essentials.
A Retail Icon’s Decline
At its peak in the 1990s, Kmart was a retail giant with over 2,300 locations and approximately 350,000 employees, making significant investments into its super-centers. The decline of this once-prominent retailer serves as a stark reminder of the challenges facing brick-and-mortar stores in today’s retail landscape.
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