Gorman's Home Furnishings & Interior Design is shutting two of its four metro Detroit locations but keeping its clearance center and warehouse in Farmington Hills.
The move makes the Industrial Park Drive facility the 86-year-old retailer's operational anchor alongside its Novi showroom.
CEO Jonathan Moray announced Monday, July 27, that the company is closing its showrooms at 29145 Telegraph Road in Southfield and 1465 W. Big Beaver Road in Troy. The last day of regular business at both stores is Monday, August 3, according to the Detroit News.
After a temporary closure for inventory tagging, a private sale for invited past customers runs Thursday, August 13, and Friday, August 14. A public store-closing sale begins Saturday, August 15, with discounts up to 80 percent off.
Moray said the company believes it is important to maintain a physical showroom where customers can experience furnishings and work directly with interior designers. By concentrating operations around Novi and Farmington Hills, he said, Gorman's can serve metro Detroit while building a more focused foundation.
What stays open
Two locations remain: the showroom at 27800 Novi Road in Novi and the Three-Day Clearance Center and warehouse at 23231 Industrial Park Drive, Suite A, in Farmington Hills. The company employs between 51 and 200 people across all locations, according to its LinkedIn profile; a breakdown by site has not been disclosed.
The Farmington Hills location functions as a warehouse and clearance operation rather than a traditional showroom.
Employees and existing orders
Gorman's said it plans to retain key employees, keep current pay levels where possible, and potentially expand the remaining operation. The company said it will communicate staffing decisions directly with employees.
Customers with existing orders, scheduled deliveries, or active interior design projects do not need to take action unless the company contacts them, according to Gorman's statement.
The number of workers directly affected by the Southfield and Troy closures has not been confirmed.
An 86-year legacy
Ben Gorman founded the company in 1940 as a railroad damaged-freight reseller in Detroit. It grew into a destination retailer offering more than 100 brands and interior design services under the Moray family's leadership.
The family posted a statement on Instagram Monday, July 27, thanking the Metro Detroit community for 86 years of support and pledging continued service through the Novi and Farmington Hills locations.
The public store-closing sale at the Southfield and Troy showrooms begins Saturday, August 15. No end date has been announced.
