— Furniture Today,
ENFIELD, Conn. – Planned Furniture Promotions Inc., an affiliate of Gene Rosenberg Associates, has been named to organize and run store closings for Mecklenburg Furniture in Charlotte, N.C., and Boll Furniture in Charleston, W.Va.


Mecklenburg Furniture has been Charlotte’s oldest and, at one point, its largest furniture retailer. It was known for its upscale brands, including Baker, Century, Hooker, Hancock & Moore and Pennsylvania House. The store has been in business since 1940.

Store officials said that, although Mecklenburg Furniture is not under financial stress, they’ve decided to close due to changes in demographics and the overall business climate.

Boll Furniture has been in business since the late 1930s, specializing in furniture, accessories and interior design services. Boll also had been an upscale retailer, selling Henredon, Drexel Heritage, Lexington, Bradington-Young and Henkel-Harris. The Boll Furniture building, a century-old landmark in downtown Charleston, has been sold and will become an office building.

According to a news release, the company was not experiencing financial difficulties, but after three generations of Bolls running the business, the family decided to close due to changes in the market. In addition, the company said a key member of the management team retired last year.

“There have been a number of key factors leading to our decision to close,” said Charles Boll, the current owner. He said that the premium furniture business has seen diminished brand power because of overseas manufacturers. In addition, he said, the consumer base for that part of the business has moved from downtown to the suburbs, dramatically reducing consumer traffic.