Clearance Center Coming to All Gardner-White Locations

Auburn Hills-based Gardner-White is bringing its clearance center concept to every location as it vies to fill the void left by Warren’s Art Van Furniture, which filed for bankruptcy in March.
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Gardner-White furniture
Gardner-White will open a clearance center in each location. // Photo courtesy of Gardner-White

Auburn Hills-based Gardner-White is bringing its Clearance Center concept to every location as it vies to fill the void left by Warren’s Art Van Furniture, which filed for bankruptcy in March.

“The Clearance Center promises to be a paradise for bargain hunters, treasure seekers, and thrifty shoppers,” says Rachel Stewart, president of Gardner-White.

The opening of the centers come as the company starts to sell off seasonal product lines in preparation for new collections in the coming months. Customers will be able to shop closeouts, floor models, and more priced at up to 80 percent off.

“The addition of a Clearance Center also gives us the opportunity to hire more metro Detroiters,” Stewart says. “We are encouraging people looking for an exciting career in the furniture business to visit our website or one of our locations.”

Gardner-White stores offers bedding products from Tempur-Pedic, Beautyrest, Serta, Aireloom, Stearns and Foster, and Sealy, as well as furniture brands such as Rowe, Century, Southern Motion, Flexsteel, and more.

In July, Gardner-White announced it will be the lead sponsor of America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in downtown Detroit, a position Art Van held for many years.

Gardner-White has been family owned and operated for 108 years. Irwin Kahn became the second-generation owner in the mid-1950s. Irwin’s daughter, Barb Tronstein, and son-in-law, Steve Tronstein, are the third-generation owners. Stewart, their daughter, is slated to lead the organization into the future.

Loves Furniture, which has recently opened locations in metro Detroit, also acquired and is opening in former Art Van locations.

For an in-depth look at how Art Van went from a furniture retail giant to bankruptcy, check out DBusiness’ July/August cover story.