Store's Sign Means Business—It's Closing

The flag of the retail business recession has been the "going out of business" sign, and anyone driving down Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks is likely to see several of them.

Some of these "going out of business" signs have been up for months, so perhaps they are simply used to attract bargain-hunting customers to a store having difficulty.

But the sign on the window at Islington Green Fine Furniture, at 15122 Ventura Blvd., is for real, the store manager said.

"We're definitely closing; there's no doubt about it," said manager Tim Quiras of the shop, where virtually all of the furniture had price tags touting steep discounts of 40 or 50 percent off.

"Actually, if someone makes us an offer, we'll consider it on anything we are selling here," Quiras said.

The store was chock-full of dressers, tables, chairs, paintings, artwork, one couch and other furniture-related items, such as pillows.

"We've got one chandelier left," he said.

The collapse of the housing market in 2007 triggered a major decline in the furniture business, in California and across the country. The prolonged downturn has caused major local furniture chains, including Wickes and Levitz, to call it quits.

"When people stop buying homes they don't buy furniture to put in their new homes. And when people are out of work, they are unlikely to buy new furniture," said Quiras, pointing to a table and chairs that had been marked down to half-price.

Islington Green had a large store in downtown Los Angeles, and when it closed last year all of the inventory was moved to the Sherman Oaks location.

Now that the store's liquidation is in its final stages, "we have some great deals," said Quiras. "Anyone looking to get quality furniture at low prices should take advantage of what we are offering here." All his inventory must be cleared, he said.

"That 'everything must go' sign on the front window is accurate. We are actually prepared to sell things at cost," Quiras said.