Information about starting a business in Northeast Ohio.
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Northeast Ohio shoppers are once again watching a familiar retail trend play out: well-known chains scaling back, closing locations, or heading into liquidation after financial trouble. One of the biggest developments involves Value City Furniture, whose parent company has been in bankruptcy proceedings—triggering store closings, liquidation activity, and customer confusion over deliveries, deposits, and refunds.
Value City Furniture Closings: What We Know So Far
Value City Furniture’s problems are tied to its parent company, American Signature, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. While some stores initially remained open, recent developments indicate the process has moved toward liquidation of remaining locations, which is often the final phase before a chain disappears entirely from many markets.
For Ohio shoppers, the most immediate takeaway is this: some locations have already been identified for closure, and the situation is changing quickly as liquidation progresses.
Here are two Ohio store closures specifically identified in reporting:
- Eastgate, Ohio location closing
- Centerville, Ohio location closing
Even in areas where stores are still operating, customers have reported learning—sometimes just weeks after ordering—that deliveries are canceled and refunds may not be handled at the store level.
The Consumer Impact: “No Furniture, No Refund”
The most frustrating part of this story isn’t just “a store is closing.” It’s what can happen before the doors shut.
Customers have described situations where they:
- paid thousands of dollars for furniture,
- waited for delivery dates,
- then received calls that orders were canceled,
- and were told the store could not issue refunds directly.
In those cases, shoppers said they were directed to a bankruptcy claims process managed by a third-party administrator. The paperwork and timelines can feel overwhelming for everyday consumers—especially compared with a normal retail return/refund.
Gift Cards, Returns, and “All Sales Final” Warnings
As bankruptcy and liquidation expand, the rules can change fast—and not in the customer’s favor. Reported guidance distributed to customers includes warnings such as:
- gift cards no longer being accepted after a cutoff date
- all sales final
- refunds not being issued if an item is no longer available
That combination—liquidation pricing plus strict policies—can be a major risk for shoppers who assume “a deal is a deal” and standard consumer protections will apply the way they do at a stable retailer.
What This Means for Northeast Ohio Shoppers
Even if a specific Value City Furniture location in Northeast Ohio is still open today, shoppers should treat the situation as high-risk if they’re:
- placing special orders,
- paying deposits,
- buying items that must be delivered later,
- or using gift cards.
In fast-moving retail closures, the danger zone isn’t only the final “closing day.” It’s the weeks (or months) when a store looks normal—but the back-end operations are already breaking down.
What To Do If You Have an Open Order
Customers who believe they’re affected have commonly been steered toward a few practical steps:
- contact the store to confirm whether the item is actually in stock and can be delivered,
- consider initiating a dispute through the payment method used (especially credit cards),
- and, if necessary, follow the bankruptcy claim process (often slow and paperwork-heavy).