Wren Kitchens has abruptly closed all 15 of its US stores, leaving every member of staff out of work as the British firm withdraws from the American market. The closures affect all East Coast showrooms and Wren Kitchen Studios located within Home Depot stores.
The move follows the company's filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on April 24. The filing, under the name Wren US Holdings Inc., listed assets between $100 million and $500 million.
Home Depot stated it had no prior notice of Wren's intention to close and is assessing the impact on customers. A Wren spokesperson said the decision to exit the US was made after careful consideration, allowing the company to focus on its core UK business, which is experiencing double-digit growth.
CEO Mark Pullan expressed regret for the impact on US colleagues and customers, noting that the US business accounted for only about 4% of group turnover. He confirmed that the UK business remains unaffected and is performing strongly, with plans to open 15 new showrooms and launch new product categories.
Staff at the closed outlets reportedly received no advance warning of redundancies, leaving some customers with outstanding orders and payments in limbo. Wren's UK operations continue to run over 110 showrooms nationwide.
