Acquisitions & expansion beyond Michigan
In 2009, Art Van introduced PureSleep, a brand of in-store departments and standalone stores offering mattresses. A year later in 2010, the company acquired Brewbaker's Furniture, and converted its two stores in northern Michigan into Art Van locations.[8]
Art Van acquired Howell, Michigan-based Mattress World in 2011, converting many of that chain's locations to PureSleep stores.[9]
Art Van expanded outside Michigan for the first time in July 2013, with a new store in Orland Park, Illinois.[10] Later that year, the chain also entered Ohio, opening a store near Toledo in September.[11]
The company expanded into Iowa in 2016, with franchised stores in Cedar Falls and Coralville.[12]
In March 2017, Art Van was acquired by private equity firm Thomas H. Lee Partners (THL) for $617 million (~$ in ).[13] Later that year, the company acquired Pennsylvania-based chains Levin Furniture and Wolf Furniture.[14][15]
Art Van expanded into Missouri in 2018, with four franchised stores in the St. Louis area. These were former locations of Rothman's Furniture, a local chain that went out of business in early 2017.[16]
The chain opened its flagship store in Canton, Michigan on February 1, 2018.[17]
Bankruptcy
On March 5, 2020, Art Van announced the closure of all of its company-owned stores, and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy four days later.[18][19] During the liquidation sale, a store in Warren, Michigan dealt with massive, unruly crowds, and was ordered by police to close early.[20] The timing of the company's bankruptcy meant liquidation sales were cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the case was converted to Chapter 7 bankruptcy by April.[21][22]
Levin Furniture's stores were reacquired by former owner Robert Levin during bankruptcy proceedings, and were reopened under his ownership later in 2020.[23]
