Gorman's adds Pierre Deux furniture brand to stores

Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, August 29, 2011

NOVI, Mich. — Gorman's Home Furnishings and Interior Design said it is adding the Pierre Deux brand to two of its showrooms, snapping up the collection in the wake of the bankruptcy filing and closing of Pierre Deux stores earlier this year.

This piece is among the Pierre Deux products that Gorman’s is adding to two of its stores.

Farmington, Mich.-based Gorman's is adding the line in its Novi store and the new Grand Rapids, Mich., showroom, but said it can be ordered through all five Gorman's showrooms. The items produced by Highland House include case goods as well as upholstered pieces for the living room, dining room and bedroom.

"Pierre Deux provides an escape to the French countryside with a distinct assortment of hand-crafted Provencal furniture," the retailer said in a press release. "Blending the old with the new, the collection brings both a sophisticated elegance and warmth and character to the home."

Arts des Provinces de France filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Newark, N.J., on June 23, listing assets of $12.1 million and debts of $53.9 million, and subsequently shut down its U.S. stores. The company had operated 23 stores in 13 states until recently, with the largest concentration in California and the Northeast.

In May 2008, Furniture/Today reported that Highland House had signed a licensing deal with Pierre Deux for a line of furniture it was introducing later that year. The Pierre Deux line of case goods, upholstery and occasional furniture is highlighted on the vendor's website.

"The handcrafted pieces offered by Pierre Deux can furnish each space in the home flawlessly," Gorman's President and Chief Operating Officer Tom Lias said in the release. "The rich textures, natural materials and organic colors offered by the collection is the perfect addition to our 100 brand lineup."

Lias could not be reached immediately for comment.

In addition to the new Grand Rapids location, the midpriced to high-end Gorman's operates four greater Detroit stores in Shelby, Novi, Southfield and Troy, Mich.