B&B Appliance Closing After 93 Years

MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, OH - One of Ohio's oldest family-owned businesses is going under. B&B Appliance, which has been in the Cleveland area for 93 years, announced its closure on Feb. 28.

The company has two locations, one in Middleburg Heights and one in Euclid. Company leaders have told multiple outlets that the store was simply not profitable anymore. There is not yet a firm closing date for the store's two locations.

B&B Appliance has more than 30 employees, most of whom have spent two or three decades with the company. B&B President Jeff Blumenthal said in a news release that "“It was a tough decision. The bottom line is that we are no longer profitable."

The store will host a clearance sale to clear out inventory and will honor customers' deposits on not-yet-delivered items, Fox 8 reports.

B&B Appliance was founded in 1924 by Max and Irvin Blumenthal. The store actually started as an automotive parts company, according to the store's history on its website. The transition to appliances began during World War II.

Automotive parts were directed to the war effort. That put a crimp in the business and the Blumenthals switched tactics and began selling appliances. Max Blumenthal's sons took over his business in 1943.

As the GIs came home, the store found that radios and televisions were a core part of their business. In 1967, the company moved to Euclid. In 1977, the company opened a second location in Middleburg Heights.

Jeff and Marc Blumenthal currently serve as the leaders of the company, president and vice-president respectively.

Photo from Google Earth