Traditions Furniture in Overland Park closing with ‘retirement sale’

Traditions Furniture is closing its downtown Overland Park store, which has occupied a historic building since 1990.

Owners Robin Van Huss and Art Davis announced earlier this week that the store at 7400 W. 79th St. is set to host a “$3 million retirement sale” beginning Friday at 10 a.m. and will sell all of their remaining inventory at up to 75% off.

Traditions is leaving a historic building

• For the past 33 years, the furniture store has occupied the former Strang Line Car Barn and Power Plant, which is owned by the Overland Park Historical Society.
• The 6,700-square-foot building was constructed in 1906 and once served the Interurban Railway founded by William Strang.
• Van Huss said they made inquiries about potentially purchasing the building from the historical society, but the organization did not want to sell it. (The society’s executive director told the Kansas City Star they are “engaging a professional” in looking at their options for the future of the building.)
• For her part, Van Huss said it feels like it’s time to close: “We also always said we’d go out at the top of our game and we’ve never been busier, so that’s another reason.”

It will remain open until everything is sold

• Furniture, artwork, lamps, rugs and other home furnishings from brands like Stressless, Gat Creek and Stickley will be up for sale.
• Van Huss said items will be put out everyday until the store’s warehouse is emptied.
• The store has been closed for the last few days to host a private sale for longtime customers, but it will reopen at 10 a.m. Friday for the general public.

Owners say they’re going out on a high note

• “This is a happy sale,” Van Huss said. “We’re not going out because we have to, we’re going out of business because we choose to.”
• Van Huss said that while she and Davis are retiring from the furniture business, the couple will still be involved in other real estate properties they own in downtown Overland Park and Wichita.

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