Lines out the door for start of Art Van Furniture's liquidation sale

WARREN, Mich. (FOX 2) - "I just wanna shop a bit. I've been looking for a loveseat and have been shopping around I figured best prices have to be here," says Ward Case of Warren.

He was one of the first people at the Art Van store on 14 Mile in Warren Friday morning. He wanted to get there before the doors opened at 10 a.m. to get dibs on the deep discounts. And it didn't take long for the liquidation sale line to linger.

Customers line up out in the rain for Art Van’s liquidation sale

Friday marked day one of Art Van Furniture's liquidation sale, just 24 hours after the company announced it was going out of business.

Dozens of people lined up before the doors opened - some wanting to shop, others wanting answers.

David Labancz went shopping yesterday, just hours after learning the furniture staple was going out of business, and was told he could still take advantage of the liquidation sale. He came back Friday hoping to get some money back on his $4,000 purchase for a couple of vibrating chairs.

"I asked them if I could get the stuff today and get an adjustment tomorrow," he said. "I got everything I wanted yesterday and now I'm coming to get a price adjustment to get it delivered on Tuesday."

It's a buy that's bittersweet for him and so many others.

If you've recently bought furniture, you do still have to keep paying the balance on your Art Van credit card. If you purchased a warranty, though, that may not last as promised.

"Art Van was a staple, like peanut butter and jelly. I own furniture pieces all throughout the house from Art Van growing up," Oak Park resident James Brand told us.

Close to 200 hundred stores in some fives are now slated to close, affecting more than 3,000 employees and countless customers who have created homes with furnishings from Art Van. It's an unfortunate sign of the times and a change in shopping trends.

"I was shocked. I was stunned," said Rhonda Curthoys of Sterling Heights.

We're told most of the pieces in-stores right now are starting at 15% off. Some items are labeled "Hot Buys" and have bigger discounts.

All of the stores are officially slated to close in May.