Despite a federal judge’s approval of Art Van Furniture LLC’s plans to liquidate 44 Levin and Wolf furniture stores in addition to nearly 150 Art Van stores dotting the Midwest, previous owner Robert Levin is still interested in reacquiring the furniture and home furnishing chain that bears his family name. But he acknowledged Wednesday that the process has now become more complicated and a resolution even more uncertain, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Art Van officials on Tuesday said that they had converted the Michigan-based company’s original chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring filing to a chapter 7 liquidation for the 189 furniture stores “due to the unforeseeable and significant negative impact of the current public health crisis.” The company, they said, does not have enough cash to cover its obligations under a chapter 11 liquidation. That is not good news for Levin customers who have put down deposits or paid for furniture that has not been delivered. The company, according to a posting on the Levin Furniture website, “is unable to fill any customer orders at this time” and a final decision on those matters will be decided by the chapter 7 trustee appointed by the court. Nor will extended warranties be honored, the company said.
