Howard’s Appliances has abruptly closed all of its Southern California stores, with reportedly little warning to employees
The home appliance chain had at least eight locations that were operating before shuttering on Dec. 6, including La Habra, Tustin, Covina, Westminster, Long Beach, Laguna Hills and Alhambra.
Company officials had reportedly given employees only two days’ notice before the sudden closure, The Orange County Register reported.
The notice, signed by Isaiah Padilla, the logistics general manager for Howard’s, said the closure was due to “circumstances beyond our control.”
In this April 8, 2008 file photo, salesman Hank Pham puts the price on a GE microwave in the appliances section of Howard’s Appliance and Big-Screen Superstore in San Gabriel, Calif. General Electric Co. on Friday, May 16, 2008 said that it plans to sell or spin off its iconic appliance business that for a century sold refrigerators, air conditioners and ovens for millions of homes. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, file)
A Howard’s appliance store in Alhambra, California, US, on Thursday, June 27, 2024. (Eric Thayer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
In this April 8, 2008 file photo, Patrick Rodriguez and his mother Erica shop for a GE refrigerator at Howard’s Appliance and Big-Screen Superstore in San Gabriel, Calif.. General Electric Co. on Friday, May 16, 2008 said that it plans to sell or spin off its iconic appliance business that for a century sold refrigerators, air conditioners and ovens for millions of homes. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, file)
According to the O.C. Register, Howard’s got its start as a radio repair shop in San Gabriel in 1946, before later becoming one of the largest independent appliance retailers in the Southland.
The company was based in La Habra for years before eventually consolidating operations in 2024 and moving to City of Industry. In April 2025, it was acquired by S5 Equity, a private equity firm in Newport Beach, and had at least 17 operating locations at the time.
Following the acquisition, Howard’s CEO Peter Boutros said, “With this acquisition, Howard’s is now poised for the future. It’s not just about sustaining our legacy—this acquisition is about building upon it.”
Some customers told the Register that the sudden closure has left them in limbo regarding their pending or ongoing purchases.
Several clients said the promised delivery date of an appliance had already lapsed, while others said they couldn’t get a hold of anyone on the phone.
On Saturday, the company’s website remained down. Employees on social media expressed their frustration with the sudden news, while loyal customers said they will miss shopping at Howard’s, which would’ve marked its 80th year in operation in 2026.
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