Furniture source Michels and Co. files Chapter 11

Company in bedroom, entertainment categories

Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, December 1, 2009

LOS ANGELES — Michels and Co., a producer of promotional bedroom and home entertainment furniture, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

A phone line at the company's Lynwood, Calif. headquarters was disconnected and company officials were not available to comment. An attorney representing the company in its voluntary petition also declined immediate comment.

According to documents filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Central District of California on Nov. 18, the Lynwood, Calif.-based company had both assets and liabilities in the $1 million to $10 million range.

The company, formerly known as Michels/Pilliod once had showrooms at the High Point, Las Vegas and Tupelo markets.

It has produced a line of mostly contemporary laminate bedroom and home entertainment furniture. It also had a line of dining room furniture, bars and youth furniture.

The company also was among the original petitioners in the 2004 antidumping case on Chinese made wood bedroom furniture.

Industry companies among the 20 largest unsecured creditors include Mission Viejo, Calif.-based Fibar Furniture Mfg. Co. with a claim of $3.3 million; the World Market Center in Las Vegas with a claim of $213,706; Vaughan-Bassett with a claim of $15,000; and Tribuzio Hilliard Studio, with a claim of $10,369.