So, you noticed that Conn’s HomePlus isn’t so, well… present lately. Or you spotted a closing sale sign on your local store and wondered: Did Conn’s go out of business today, overnight, or was this a slow-motion disaster years in the making? Buckle up, business sleuths—let’s cut through the noise.
Meet Conn’s: What Is (Was?) HomePlus Anyway
Quick refresher. Conn’s HomePlus was a big deal—at least in furniture and home appliances, mostly in the South and Midwest. Founded in 1890 (yes, that old), Conn’s stretched from a single Houston storefront to over 370 stores at its peak. They sold sofas, fridges, credit, dreams, and maybe a little buyer’s remorse for dessert.
But in retail, yesterday’s “too big to fail” often turns into today’s “wait, are they still open?” Turns out, Conn’s became exhibit A.
The State of Conn’s—Early 2024
Let’s rewind. As late as spring 2024, Conn’s was still—ahem—hobbling along. The chain was fighting margin pressures, crazy competition (looking at you, Wayfair and Amazon), and a customer base feeling the inflation squeeze. Per filings and industry analysts, Conn’s had mounting debts and a tough time keeping pace with online-only upstarts.
So, was the writing on the wall? Sure seems that way. But the hammer really dropped midsummer.
Bankruptcy Bombshell: July 2024
On July 23, 2024, Conn’s filed for bankruptcy. Yep, Chapter 11 protection—think corporate purgatory, not a gentle nap. This wasn’t just Conn’s, Inc. by itself either. Per bankruptcy filings, the protection covered Conn’s HomePlus and all the related affiliate companies under its umbrella.
What did that mean in English? Official bankruptcy status. Bills frozen. Creditors circling. Lawyers and restructuring consultants on speed dial. The usual grisly parade.
But that didn’t mean “out of business” right away. Chapter 11 is designed for a “maybe we can still fix this” outcome. But, spoiler: this one didn’t get a Hollywood ending.
Let the Store Closures Begin
So what happened next? In true retail collapse fashion, Conn’s first announced it would close 36 of its 374 stores—per court papers and company news releases. Maybe a lifeboat moment? Not so fast.
That patch didn’t hold for long. Updates trickled in: layoffs, stock delisting rumors, and creditors getting antsy. A few weeks later, Conn’s made it official—everything must go, literally.
All remaining Conn’s HomePlus stores would be closed by October 31, 2024. No more extensions. No secret survival plan. This was the swan song.
For context, these quick-close timelines are fast even by retail bankruptcy standards. Maybe Conn’s saw the Toys ‘R’ Us ghost and wanted out before Halloween.
Trying to Sell – And Hitting a Brick Wall
Here’s the last-ditch move every collapsing chain tries: package up assets (inventory, leases, brand) and find a desperate buyer. Conn’s went to the market. Per restructuring updates (and some industry whispers), there were talks, NDAs, and even a few signed letters from possible bidders.
But… no dice. By late summer, no sale happened. Not for the brand, not for a rescue merger, not even as a fire-sale rollup by a bigger competitor. Conn’s liquidation plan went into overdrive instead.
Why? Maybe debt was too high. Maybe buyers didn’t see a future in big-box appliance retail as chains like Best Buy or Fry’s shrunk. Either way, every sign pointed to the liquidation exit.
Impact Across the Map: Which States Lost Conn’s?
When a giant falls, the tremor spreads. Conn’s had stores across roughly fifteen states—mainly Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arizona, and a few in the Southeast. As the closures snowballed, employees in each state got pink slips.
Some states saw every last Conn’s store close as part of the bankruptcy. Take Oklahoma: zero Conn’s locations left, and not the only state to get the clean sweep. If you were attached to those payday-financed recliner sales in Tulsa, sorry—shop elsewhere now.
Texas and Louisiana suffered the most store volume losses. No surprise, since that’s where Conn’s concentrated its footprint for generations. But make no mistake—every corner of Conn’s operations faced the same fate.
Even online and credit services were wound down in parallel. No hidden ecommerce pivot here—when they said “liquidation,” they meant it.
What About Employees, Customers, and Credit?
When these mass closures kick in, the real-world fallout can sting. Conn’s had thousands of employees—managers, store associates, call center staff. Each closure wave meant layoffs.
If you bought on Conn’s credit (they loved to upsell that), you’re likely still on the hook for outstanding bills. The bankruptcy court oversees the payback terms. Unsold inventory got swept up by liquidators, recycled into other discount chains, or—if history holds—auctioned off online.
Gift cards? Basically worthless now. If you still have one, it’s a sad dollar-shaped coaster.
Customers who had claims (like pending deliveries or faulty products) faced the classic “take it up with the bankruptcy folks” runaround. The courts, not Conn’s, dictate what comes next—which usually isn’t much unless you’re a major secured creditor.
Conn’s in August 2025: Any Signs of Life?
Here’s where all the rumors and “maybe they’ll come back” stories hit a brick wall. As of August 13, 2025, Conn’s HomePlus isn’t limping along, pivoting online, or staging a blockbuster turnaround.
Per multiple industry sources, trade media, and court records, **every Conn’s HomePlus location closed as of October 31, 2024**. Bank accounts? Shut down. Socials? Abandoned. No official announcements on a second act, franchise, or “digital-only” reboot.
The company exists only as a shell now—think bankruptcy paperwork, whatever assets are left, and not much else. No credible source expects a return, not even as an online afterlife.
Queue up Conn’s in the “gone out of business through bankruptcy-driven liquidation” column—right next to Circuit City and Borders.
Takeaways for Operators and Retail Watchers
Why did Conn’s go under? Let’s break it down for every business leader hoping to learn (or avoid) the same fate:
- Don’t bet on retail nostalgia. Conn’s had name recognition, but couldn’t adapt its model fast enough to ecommerce and price wars.
- Piling on debt is a losing game. Growth-at-any-cost only works until interest rates and slowing sales slam the brakes.
- Liquidation is not a strategy. Once you start closing en masse, fire sales and layoffs can beget more fire sales and layoffs. There’s no “efficient wind-down” when brand trust is already gone.
- Amazon and online-only players set the pace. If you can’t compete on price, service, or speed, you lose—even if you’ve been around over 100 years.
- Bankruptcy is just a reset for assets, not destiny for the brand. Unless someone wants what you’ve got. For Conn’s, the answer was a hard no.
If you’re tracking troubled retailers, this isn’t a surprise. Credit rating agencies flagged Conn’s for months. Cash flow was tight. Innovation wasn’t. In a savage retail cycle, even “big” can’t save you.
For the Data-Obsessed (And The Skeptics)
Still think Conn’s is hanging on somewhere, low-key? Here’s the reality check:
No active store locator. The corporate website went into deep freeze as of late 2024.
SEC and court filings stopped listing active retail assets. Only liabilities and wind-down notices remained.
No acquisition. Not even a “sold for parts” deal—just inventory dumped, leases canceled.
Press silence. No “new CEO,” “investor rescue,” or “comeback campaign” after fall 2024.
And if you hear about a “HomePlus” opening soon in your area? It’s probably somebody else. The Conn’s name is dormant—as cold as last year’s Black Friday leftovers.
Curious about other retail comebacks, collapses, and all the weird in-between? Check out this resource on notable U.S. business pivots and closures. It benchmarks why some companies recover while others just disappear.
Bottom Line? Conn’s Didn’t Just Go Out of Business—It’s Gone
To answer the burning question: no, Conn’s isn’t going out of business “today” because the deed’s already done. The dominoes toppled through 2024, the stores emptied, and by Halloween—poof, it was over.
If you drove by an old Conn’s this morning, you probably saw a vacant box, a For Lease sign, or maybe a Spirit Halloween prepping its seasonal pop-up. Retail has no memory—just lessons, for those keeping score.
Bottom line? If it doesn’t move the metric, it’s noise. Conn’s HomePlus is gone, and all that’s left are a handful of liquidation tales—and maybe a warning for the next would-be retail king.
Keep your eyes on the balance sheet, friends. The market remembers—even if shoppers don’t.
Also Read:
