Art Van Elslander, Art Van Founder, Dies At 88

Art Van Elslander, founder of a local furniture retailer that became a national household name, died Monday at the age of 88. Known as Art Van, like the furniture store empire he built starting in the 1950s, Van Elslander or “Mr. Van,” was almost as famous in Detroit for donating funds to save the city’s annual Thanksgiving parade as he was for his furniture. Van Elslander had been battling lung cancer, according to his family.

Born in 1930 to parents who immigrated from Belgium, Van Elslander was a native Detroiter whose home furnishing business would eventually become one of the Top 10 furniture sellers in the country. In a memo to Art Van staff, Art Van’s current CEO Kim Yost celebrated Van Elslander’s legacy with the company, which he sold to a private equity firm in 2017. Yost described the company founder as a "brilliant, larger-than-life visionary who devoted his life to family, business, and community touching lives around the world."

Opened in 1959, the first Art Van Furniture was in East Detroit. Van Elsander ran the company himself from 1959 until its sale last year. At the time of the sale, the Warren-based furniture maker had operations in five states and over 100 stores, employing 3,700 people nationwide.

A notice on Facebook announced the news, reading "It is with profound sadness that we share the loss of Mr. Art Van Elslander, founder of Art Van Furniture. Mr. Van was the heart and soul of Art Van Furniture, and a mentor and friend to people at home and around the world.”

The post asks people share special memories of Art Van at a new Art Van memories Facebook page.

“We lost a Legend today – our founder and leader for nearly 60 years passed away on February 12. His legacy lives on with his family, friends, and the 3800 team members who wear the Art Van logo,” a message posted to the Art Van Furniture Facebook reads. “At times like this, sharing is the best comfort. Please leave your comments and remembrances below,” the company asks.

Twitter memories should include the hashtag #ArtVanElslander.

People have already begun sharing memories. Jon Segal, an Art Van manager from Ypsilanti praised Van Elslander’s marketing prowess. “Not ashamed to say that I cried in my car today,” Segal wrote. “I remember him speaking at the President's Club Outing in August 2016 and thinking he was a marketing genius. A true American Entrepreneur Legend.”

Photo by Jeff Schear/Getty Images.