Hitchcock Begins to Liquidate Inventory

January 25, 2006  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in on January 2006 by Powell Slaughter

Hitchcock Chair Co., a venerable manufacturer of solid wood case goods and occasional furniture that went up for sale during April market, will close its four Hitchcock Fine Home Furnishings retail stores in Connecticut.

The New Hartford, Conn.-based company, founded in 1825, will hold going-out-of-business sales at locations in Glastonbury, Orange, Riverton and Wilton.

"Those sales start today, and we'll run that process as long as it takes to liquidate inventory," Ronald Coleman, Hitchcock's president and CEO said Thursday.

The company continues to seek a buyer for the brand itself, and Coleman said he's received hundreds of inquiries. The move to sell Hitchcock began when Robin Faccenda, owner of the business, decided to retire last fall.

"We have several parties who are very interested, and it's a process of working with the state of Connecticut and the potential buyers to work out what's best for the community and employees," he said. "There are people out of state who are interested, but our best-case result is to keep it in the state so we can both continue the brand, and also retain jobs here."

Hitchcock has a 110,000-square-foot factory in New Hartford, Conn. The retail locations include its flagship factory store in Riverton. The plant recently opened a new finishing facility for the line, which features solid Northeastern hardwoods including cherry, hard rock maple and red maple.

Coleman said production continues at the factory.

"We're continuing to operate and take orders from our dealers, and our backlogs are actually pretty strong right now," he said.