WARREN, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Art Van location on 14 Mile in Warren shut down Saturday due to overwhelming response and traffic backup, according to Art Van spokesperson Diane Charles.
The Warren location shut down early at 4 p.m., Mayor Jim Fouts told 7 Action News.
"Art Van will be billed for the extra police that we have had to send out to control massive traffic jams and angry customers," the mayor wrote in a Facebook post. "They will also be charged for not fulfilling their commitment regarding tax abatements that we have given over the past years."
Charles said all Art Van locations will be closed for the rest of the weekend so they can restock and be prepared for the next wave of customers. All stores will reopen at 2 p.m. Monday.
On Thursday, the furniture company announced it is closing all of its locations and beginning liquidation sales.
More than 3,000 employees across the Midwest will be losing their jobs. Most of them are in Michigan.
“Art Van who I met and I know and I admire, must be turning over in his grave today for what’s going on," Warren Mayor Jim Fouts is not mincing words after receiving a letter that Art Van is closing up shop - leaving workers without a job starting May 5th.
The headquarters in Warren employees more than 260 people and provides $2.2 million in tax revenue.
Fout’s first move is to reach out to other furniture companies to see if they would be interested in moving into the 14 Mile Road location, “I want to save jobs. Every one of those people deserves to have a job.”
Liquidation sales began March 6 at all Art Van Furniture, Art Van PureSleep and Scott Shuptrine Interiors in Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and Missourri.
