Court approves Robert Levin's bid to revive Levin furniture brand

A federal judge Wednesday signed an order green-lighting Mt. Pleasant native Robert Levin’s plan to begin reviving the century-old family furniture chain he sold three years ago.

Judge Christopher Sontchi’s order filed in U.S. District Bankruptcy Court in Delaware approved Levin’s $25.7 million bid to buy back the Levin brand as well as the unencumbered contents of 32 Levin and Wolf furniture stores in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Levin, 63, of Squirrel Hill could not immediately be reached for comment.

In 2017 Levin sold the chain, the region’s largest furniture retailer, to Art Van Furniture, a Michigan-based furniture chain that was previously acquired by Thomas H. Lee Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm.

Although the combined chains posted revenues of $850 million as recently as 2018, they were foundering by early 2020 and filed for bankruptcy in March, opting first for protection and reorganization under Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code and later transitioning to Chapter 7 liquidation.

Wednesday’s order marked the culmination of Robert Levin’s second bid to buy back his family’s former chain. A prior deal, inked days before Art Van filed for bankruptcy, collapsed in mid-March when Art Van moved into liquidation.

The $25.7 million bid Judge Sontchi approved Wednesday includes a $10 million fund that will be set aside to compensate more than 1,000 customers in Ohio and Pennsylvania who paid for or made deposits on furniture that Art Van’s owners never delivered.

Levin, who has partnered in this deal with John and Matt Schultz, owners of several Ashley Furniture franchises, said they hope to resume business at select Levin furniture and Levin Mattress stores this summer.