American Freight store closures include Daytona, Port Orange locations

PORT ORANGE — The parent company of furniture retailer American Freight announced plans to close all of the chain's stores to focus on shoring up its other businesses. The planned store closures include two in Volusia County: at 3350 S. Ridgewood Ave. in Port Orange and at 1415 S. Nova Road in Daytona Beach.

The chain began store liquidation sales on Nov. 5.

The parent company, Delaware, Ohio-based Franchise Group Inc. said in a press release that it is closing its American Freight chain because it was struggling "due to sustained inflation and macroeconomic challenges facing the large durable goods sector."

The decision was also made so Franchise Group can strengthen its other chains, which include Pet Supplies Plus, The Vitamin Shoppes, and Buddy's Home Furnishings.

Locally, the Vitamin Shoppe has stores in Daytona Beach and Palm Coast, while Buddy's Home Furnishings has stores in Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and DeLand. The closest Pet Supplies Plus store is in Sanford.

"Today's announcement to de-lever our balance sheet is a pivotal step forward in enabling our market-leading businesses Pet Supplies Plus, The Vitamin Shoppe and Buddy's Home Furnishings to realize their full potential," said Andrew Laurence, Franchise Group's president and CEO, in a news release issued Nov. 3.