Howard’s Appliances, a longtime Southern California retailer, has filed for bankruptcy and abruptly shut down all of its stores, ending nearly eight decades of operation and leaving customers and employees scrambling for answers.
Founded in 1946, Howard’s grew into a familiar name across the region, with appliance and mattress stores serving communities throughout Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. For generations, the chain marketed itself as a locally rooted alternative to national big-box retailers.
That legacy came to a sudden halt in early December 2025, when all Howard’s locations closed without public notice.
Sale to Private Equity Preceded Collapse
The company’s financial troubles followed a recent ownership change. In April 2025, Howard’s Appliances was acquired by S5 Equity, a New York–based private equity firm. At the time, the sale was presented as an opportunity to modernize the business while preserving its long-standing brand.
No financial distress was disclosed publicly when the acquisition was announced. Stores continued operating through the summer and early fall, though some customers later reported delivery delays and difficulty reaching customer service.
By late 2025, according to former employees, conditions inside the company worsened. Staff members have said vendor payments slowed, inventory became inconsistent, and internal communication about the company’s finances grew limited.
Sudden Closures and Bankruptcy Filing
In late November 2025, employees were reportedly informed that expected funding from ownership had not materialized. Within days, the company’s financial position deteriorated.
In early December, Howard’s closed all remaining stores. Employees said they received little advance warning, with some learning of the shutdown only shortly before losing their jobs. The company’s website, phone lines, and customer service systems went offline around the same time.
Shortly after the closures, Howard’s Appliances filed for bankruptcy protection. Available information indicates the filing is tied to liquidation, not reorganization, meaning the retailer does not plan to reopen its stores.
Impact on Customers and Workers
The bankruptcy has left many customers uncertain about pending orders, deposits, and refunds for appliances that were never delivered. In bankruptcy proceedings, customers with prepaid purchases are typically classified as unsecured creditors, placing them low on the repayment priority list.
Employees were laid off amid the shutdown, with unresolved questions about final pay, benefits, and severance.
As the case proceeds, the bankruptcy court will oversee the distribution of remaining assets to lenders, vendors, employees, and customers. The company and its owner have not released detailed public explanations for the collapse.
More information on the bankruptcy process is available through the U.S. Courts system at uscourts.gov.
For communities across the San Gabriel Valley and beyond, the shutdown marks the quiet end of a retailer that once played a prominent role in local home shopping.
