Comeaux Furniture, Appliance and Mattress is closing its doors after more than 70 years in business, marking the end of an era for one of the New Orleans area’s longtime retailers.
Owner Michael Comeaux, who runs the business started by his father, is closing the store because he is ready to retire and there aren’t any other family members interested in succeeding him, according to store manager Matt Cura.
Comeaux’s has a main showroom on Veterans Boulevard in Metairie and a warehouse outlet store on Euphrosine Street in Central City.
“We are incredibly grateful to our loyal customers and dedicated staff for their support over the past 72 years,” said Michael Comeaux in a prepared statement.
Comeaux’s father, Sterling “Buddy” Comeaux, opened the original Comeaux’s in 1953. It was located in a 400-square-foot storefront on City Park Avenue in a building that is now part of Ralph’s on the Park. It sold furniture and appliances and one of the hottest new electronics on the market — television sets.
The store quickly outgrew its location and moved to its current site in Metairie, near the 17th Street Canal, after just five years. Over the more than six decades that followed, the store expanded and periodically renovated.
In 2007, the Comeaux family opened a 200,000-square-foot warehouse with an outlet store and clearance center.
In recent years, doing business as an independent furniture and appliance store became increasingly difficult, Cura said. There was competition from big box stores and e-retailers like Amazon and Mayfair.
Logistics and shipping have become more complicated and expensive. And labor shortages that have plagued businesses since the pandemic made it hard for Comeaux to find and retain employees, Cura said.
“It’s not getting easier, that’s for sure,” Cura said. “But he’s just ready to chill out and enjoy his retirement.”
The stores will close later this month following a liquidation sale that begins Thursday.
Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@theadvocate.com.
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
News Tips:
nolanewstips@theadvocate.com
Other questions:
subscriberservices@theadvocate.com
Need help?
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.
We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
