Value City store sits empty

SANDUSKY — In recent days, the downtown Sandusky-based Value City Furniture building, on East Market and Wayne streets, seems like it officially closed and now sits empty. After filing for bankruptcy in November, American Signature — Value City's parent company — intends to close all 89 of its stores nationwide, including the only location in Sandusky. Both based in Columbus, Ohio, American Signature and Value City cited various economic factors — including high interest rates, inflation and a "severe housing market decline" according to bankruptcy filing documents — as reasons for its demise. American Signature was founded in 1948. Value City's roots, meanwhile, trace back to 1917. Value City, which began operating in downtown Sandusky nearly 40 years ago, represented just one of only a few commercial/large-scale businesses with a presence in the city's central business district. It's also the only furniture store in downtown. Friendly chatter On Thursday, the Register posted a photo of this empty storefront on its Facebook page. Many readers commented, giving their preferences as to why they'd like to see enter this space next. This would include: • Willard Shupe: It would be cool if a marketplace, like Westside Market in Cleveland, started. • Jim Beatty: Move a Dollar General in there? • David Dudley: Make it a parking garage • Taylor Moore: Korean market. Let's get a Korean market. • Ashley Heslet: Trader Joe's • Sherrie Ebert: Whole Foods or Trader Joe's • Jody Segee: We need an IHOP. • Dawn Austin: Jungle Jim's • Shana Emerine: Grocery store would be nice downtown.