by Letter to customers states that an unnamed Canadian entity will be taking over the operation
LAC-MÉGANTIC, Quebec — RTA furniture manufacturer Bestar announced it is resuming operations on June 1, a move that follows a bankruptcy proceeding that initially appeared to mark the end of the 80-year-old company.
A group of several investors recently purchased the company and its assets, including the Bestar name, product inventory and intellectual property as part of a court-approved liquidation process.
This process evolved from a May 4 Chapter 15 bankruptcy filing designed to address claims involving a company with operations in two countries, in this case, Canada and the U.S.
The purchase does not involve sister companies, Jamestown, New York-based E-Solutions Furniture and Bush Holdings, which along with Bestar, closed abruptly around the time of the bankruptcy filing. Bestar merged with Bush Industries in 2020, and Bush was renamed E-Solutions Furniture Group in 2021, according to bankruptcy documents.
In a letter posted on the Bestar website, the company said, “This relaunch marks the beginning of a new chapter for the company, now led by Bestar 2026, and reflects the confidence of our financial partners, our customers, our suppliers and our entire team.”
Martin Tardiff, vice president of sales and product at Bestar, declined to say how much the group of investors paid for the company and its assets. However, he said the group has long-term plans to keep the company operating for the benefit of its customers.
“We are here to stay,” he told Home News Now, noting that the manufacturer has brought back its entire team of 160 workers. “We understand the economy is not perfect, but we are a strong group coming from the furniture industry and we are super proud to be able to produce product in North America.”
The letter on the company website went on to acknowledge the investors for their support in helping the company to resume its manufacturing at its former plant in Sherbrooke, a city in southern Quebec that is about 75 miles east of Montreal.
“We sincerely thank them for their availability, their expertise and their efficiency,” the letter stated. “It is through this collective collaboration that we will write the next pages of Bestar’s story together and make this relaunch a true success. We look forward to getting back on the road alongside you.”
Tardiff said the Sherbrooke plant has operated in the area since 1960 and will continue to produce about 95% of the company’s product mix, which includes Murphy and modular closet beds, desks and home entertainment wall systems, to name several core categories.
