Howard's Appliance files for chapter 11 bankruptcy, shuts all Southern California stores

Howard’s Appliance filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy just after Black Friday and shuttered all of its Southern California locations.

This move took employees by surprise as they were given only one day’s notice, without any prior warning. The company has not shared any information with their customers, including those awaiting delivery for their placed orders.

Howard’s shut down business operations across 17 locations in Southern California, effective December 6, 2025, due to circumstances beyond its control.

David Goodrich, of the law firm Golden Goodrich in Costa Mesa, told the Southern California News Group that the appliance company tried their best to overcome tariffs but macroeconomic challenges have forced them to file for bankruptcy and close their doors.

Goodrich said, “This was not a decision made lightly, but one that became necessary given the current economic landscape.”

The sudden closure sparked widespread discussion on social media with some people sharing their astonishment online as one Reddit user wrote, “We have ordered a new range from Howard’s but now the news is coming that they are closing all stores. I have called four stores but none picked up.”

Another user wrote, “We placed our order four months ago and have not received a few items. I rushed to their store but saw a ‘closed’ sign displayed there.”

Howard's Appliance has yet to provide an update about pending orders with their customers.