Retail

Gardner White Opens Store in Former Art Van Flagship Location

The regional Michigan home furnishings retailer has taken over bankrupt Art Van’s former flagship Canton store and another in Rochester Hills.

RugNews.com Editors

8/31/2021

Gardner White moves into the former flagship location of Art Van Furniture in Canton, Michigan.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Regional home furnishings retailer Gardner White Furniture, with 12 locations in southeast Michigan, relocated its Canton store to the former flagship location of bankrupt retailer Art Van Furniture. In addition, the company has refined its merchandising strategy, product lineup, and rolled out interior design services at several locations.

Founded in 1912, the family-owned and -operated Gardner White, which last year took over another Art Van location in Rochester Hills, has said it plans to fill the gap following the departure of Art Van Furniture from the region. Art Van Furniture filed for bankruptcy in early 2020, and its stores were acquired by a private equity company and rebranded as Loves Furniture, which went out of business shortly after the acquisition.

The new two story Gardner White store features the retailers revamped merchandising and product lineup strategies.

“The new stores get bigger, bolder and better with more new locations to come. It all starts now. This is such an exciting time to be in Canton as we open this beautiful store.,” stated Rachel Stewart, president of Gardner White.

Gardner-White has been tweaking its merchandising approach and product lineup for the past year and has introduced a new interior design service called GW Design Studio, available at the retailer's Ann Arbor, Auburn Hills, Canton, Novi, Rochester Hills or Hall Road stores.

Late last year, Gardner White introduced GW Design Studio, an in-house design service.

“We are revisiting every detail of the Gardner White customer experience and are making enhancements throughout the store to ensure we lead the industry in every way,” Stewart stated at the time of the acquisition of the 48,000 square foot Rochester Hills store in August 2020. She also said that Gardner White plans to be "the consumer's first choice" as Art Van leaves the furniture market.