Howard’s demise: Appliance stores meet retail’s graveyard

The sudden closure of the Howard’s Appliance chain is another sign of the new reality of how Californians buy big-ticket items that fill their homes.

Most shoppers no longer seek out these goods at modest specialty merchants like Howard’s in Southern California or anywhere else. Rather, consumers primarily go to three big-box merchants: Lowe’s, Home Depot or Best Buy.

In the wake of this evolution in shoppers’ preferences – not to mention the turmoil of the pandemic era – Howard’s, with a legacy dating back 79 years, joins California’s long list of appliance/electronics shops to reach the retail graveyard.

Remember last year’s collapse of the Pirch chain from San Diego? Or the demise of the seemingly ubiquitous Fry’s ? Or the end of Western Appliances from San Jose or Asien Appl