Brookfield, Wis.
– Flanner’s Home Entertainment has temporarily suspended operations.
The family-held,
one-store specialty A/V dealer said it is renegotiating its “business and
financial relationships” following recent challenges stemming from the economic
downturn.
In a statement
posted on the company’s
,
principal John Flanner said, “This process has taken longer than expected, and
we are no longer able to provide the experience or level of service we strive
to provide. Therefore, we are temporarily pausing operations.”
Flanner, a past
president of the Professional Audio Video Retailers Association (PARA), told
the
last week that vendors have curtailed shipments amid a cash-flow
crunch, and that its bank is demanding repayment of debt.
The dilemma
underscores the challenges facing independent dealers in general and A/V
specialists in particular, as mass merchants encroach on core brands and product
lines that were once off-limits to discounters.
In the Web
statement, Flanner said the company appreciates “all of the support we’ve
received as a local, family-owned independent business, and we intend to continue
serving this community for years to come.”