Howard’s Appliance, a decades-old home-appliance retailer, has abruptly closed all of its Southern California stores and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, capping a swift collapse that caught employees and customers off guard.

The chain, which operated 17 locations across the region, went dark shortly after Black Friday, a timing that has left some shoppers uncertain about recent purchases and pending deliveries. The bankruptcy filing and closures followed mounting pressure from higher costs and weakening consumer demand, according to people familiar with the matter.

“Despite our best efforts to overcome tariffs, declines in consumer spending, and other macroeconomic challenges, we have made the difficult decision to file for bankruptcy and close our doors,” said David Goodrich of Golden Goodrich in comments to Southern California News Group. “This was not a decision made lightly, but one that became necessary given the current economic landscape.”

Employees were notified with roughly a day’s notice, with no prior public warning, according to reporting by the Orange County Register. Customers with outstanding orders were not separately informed, the newspaper said.

A notice signed by Isaiah Padilla, the company’s logistics general manager, said Howard’s was shutting down operations effective Dec. 6 because of “circumstances beyond our control.”

The sudden closure triggered a wave of complaints on social media, including posts on Reddit from customers who said they were unable to reach stores or confirm deliveries of big-ticket appliances.

Howard’s Appliance had already been shrinking its footprint. In 2020, the company closed its Upland, California, store, citing weak sales, challenging local retail conditions and a shift toward investing in more favorable locations.

The bankruptcy underscores the pressures facing regional retailers as inflation, tariffs and cautious consumers squeeze margins and disrupt cash flow, even during traditionally strong shopping periods.