Rotmans, Worcester furniture seller since 1956, going out of business
WORCESTER — Rotmans, the sprawling furniture store founded by Murray and Ida Rotman in 1956, is going out of business.
The closing comes with the retirement of Steve Rotman, the CEO and son of the founders.
The store announced Tuesday it would begin a going-out-of business sale Friday.
More: 'Fan-tastic' era of service, smiles over 60 years coming to close at Rotmans in Worcester
“We’ve had the honor of serving countless families in this region for over 60 years," Rotman, 83, said in a statement. "I’m proud of earning their loyalty based on providing the best products, service and value overall, which continues until the last piece of merchandise leaves our store.”
Rotmans, which bills itself as the largest furniture and flooring store in New England, fills a large factory on Southbridge Street at the edge of Interstate 290. The building was once Whittall Carpet Mill.
Steven Rotman, with brothers Barry and Bernie, expanded the business after taking over from Murray and Ida. Marketing was a key part of the business plan, with Bernie Rotman delivering his familiar "Fantastic!" exclamation in television commercials.
Rotmans, in College Square, is a maze of showrooms, covering 200,000 square feet over five floors and two buildings. The company once had a presence on Main Street and had a short-lived rug store in Springfield.
In 2019, Rotmans became a publicly traded company when Vystar Corp. acquired a majority interest in the company.
Murray and Ida Rotman were known throughout the city for their philanthropy. Ida Rotman was 104 when she passed away in 2018.
In the early days of the business, Murray Rotman was the salesman. He roamed the sales floor and talked to customers, figuring out what was working and what wasn't. Ida Rotman — who was fondly known as “Mrs. R” — was the person employees came to when they needed help.
"He hated paperwork," Mrs. Rotman said of her husband in a June 2013 story in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, marking her 100 birthday. "I did anything that required a pencil and paper."
Archives: Rotmans in transition
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This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Rotmans furniture of Worcester closing for good; Steve Rotman to retire
