Waiting For A Bargain 45-Minute Delays Make Customers Unruly At Smith’s Liquidation Sales

Starved grizzlies have nothing on a steamed bargain hunter.

Hundreds lined up at both Spokane Smith’s Home Furnishings stores Thursday morning, only to spend as long as 43 extra minutes out in the cold.

And once stores did open, many shoppers said the scent of bargains was weak.

“(Prices) are reasonable, but they have to do better than that for me to buy,” said customer Trish Schultz.

But prices were among the smaller surprises Thursday as the latest chapter in Smith’s controversial bankruptcy unfolded.

When liquidation managers got calls telling them to keep the doors locked and postpone the sale temporarily, crowds got a little rowdy.

The waiting shoppers grumbled, yelled and rattled the front doors of both stores. Someone even called the police, but they didn’t seem to be needed.

The furniture of Smith’s, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August, was being sold by Maynards Industries, a Vancouver, B.C.-based liquidation company. The more than $2.8 million Maynards paid for the merchandise will count toward paying off Smith’s debt to its secured creditors.

The doors were supposed to open at 9:30 a.m. Joanne Coran, manager of the Northpointe liquidation, had let about 50 of the customers in before receiving a call telling her to wait.

“I opened a little early because of the crowd,” Coran said.

That just made the other 50 folks outside more unruly.

Security guard Kory Bowser stood up on a planter and tried to lead the crowd in a round of campfire songs. The Northpointe store finally opened at 9:50 a.m.

The even larger crowd of 300 at 212 N. Sullivan Road was pretty well behaved until 9:41 a.m. That’s when a woman in front began yanking on the locked doors, pointing to her watch and yelling, “9:30! 9:30!”

Another, Mike Shiflett, decided to leave. “This is bogus,” he said. Others were more determined.

“I don’t give up that easy,” Janetta Smith replied to Shiflett’s announcement.

Some, like Lloyd and Cindy Dresser of Coeur d’Alene, sat in their parked vehicles with the heater on. The Dressers were ready to spend big. “Depending on how good prices are, we might buy a houseful,” Lloyd said.

As time dragged on, some people talked on cellular phones. Some had a fast-food breakfast.That picked up spirits a bit.

Maynards employees said they were not sure exactly what caused the delay, but it was supposedly requested by a bank. Robert Seibold, a partner in Maynards, said he didn’t know what the snag was.

The doors finally opened at 10:13, and the crowd rushed in.

Once inside, shoppers had mixed success. Maynards had advertised that prices were 30 percent to 50 percent off of Smith’s retail. Former Smith’s customers agreed that was the case, but noticed that Smith’s sale prices on items were often better.

Glenda Armstrong said she wanted to buy a lamp at Smith’s shortly before the stores closed. The lamp she wanted was on sale then for $75. She saw it Thursday for $107.

Cyndi Langhans said she recognized a wingback chair she bought on sale at Smith’s for $320, now it was $340.

“But the regular price was $520,” she said.

Mark Walker, owner of Walker’s Furniture stores, said a big cut off of a Smith’s regular price often equates to a normal price. “Smith’s regular prices were very high,” he said. “People really need to compare and go shopping.”

Those who got the best deals, though, were people shopping for accessories. “I think it’s a pretty good deal on accessories,” said Pam Fredrick, new candle holder in hand. She paid $30, and said they used to go for $49. “It was a pretty good buy.”

The sale is scheduled to continue through Oct. 21.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Color Photos

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: CLOSURES A federal bankruptcy judge in Portland on Thursday night ordered Smith’s to close its remaining nine stores in Oregon and Boise effective today.

The following fields overflowed: BYLINE = Ward Sanderson Staff writer Staff writer Jonathan Martin contributed to this report