Vann's Inc., the appliance and electronics store that filed for bankruptcy last month to reorganize its finances, asked the court to convert the bankruptcy to a liquidation and has given its Missoula, Mont., employees 60-day layoff notices, the Associated Press reported yesterday. "We've been trying to restructure under Chapter 11 and we have an obligation to let the judge know that unless somebody is willing to put in $3 million to $5 million for inventory, we can't do it," said Jerry McConnell, Vann's chief executive officer. Vann's has about 150 employees in six stores, including 85 in Missoula. The company secured some financing after filing for bankruptcy on Aug. 5, but McConnell said sales were not strong enough to continue.
