ADAM BELL
One of Charlotte’s oldest stores, Mecklenburg Furniture Co. on Providence Road, has closed.

The store closed Monday, owner Melvin Vanderburg said today. He said he could not afford to operate it because of a big increase in rent.


Vanderburg said he bought Mecklenburg Furniture 17 years ago. The store opened in December 1940 and was known as Mecklenburg Furniture Shops then. It moved from Tryon Street to Providence Road in 1966.

Vanderburg, who runs privately held K-Town Furniture Inc., also has closed furniture stores in Concord and Salisbury. He said he is concentrating on his Kannapolis furniture store operations around Cannon Village.