Remote Surveillance Trailer in La Habra, CA

Howard’s Appliances has abruptly closed all of its Southern California stores, with reportedly little warning to employees

The home appliance chain had at least eight locations that were operating before shuttering on Dec. 6, including La Habra, Tustin, Covina, Westminster, Long Beach, Laguna Hills and Alhambra.

Company officials had reportedly given employees only two days’ notice before the sudden closure, The Orange County Register reported.

The notice, signed by Isaiah Padilla, the logistics general manager for Howard’s, said the closure was due to “circumstances beyond our control.”

According to the O.C. Register, Howard’s got its start as a radio repair shop in San Gabriel in 1946, before later becoming one of the largest independent appliance retailers in the Southland.

The company was based in La Habra for years before eventually consolidating operations in 2024 and moving to City of Industry. In April 2025, it was acquired by S5 Equity, a private equity firm in Newport Beach, and had at least 17 operating locations at the time.

Following the acquisition, Howard’s CEO Peter Boutros said, “With this acquisition, Howard’s is now poised for the future. It’s not just about sustaining our legacy—this acquisition is about building upon it.”

Some customers told the Register that the sudden closure has left them in limbo regarding their pending or ongoing purchases.

Several clients said the promised delivery date of an appliance had already lapsed, while others said they couldn’t get a hold of anyone on the phone.

On Saturday, the company’s website remained down. Employees on social media expressed their frustration with the sudden news, while loyal customers said they will miss shopping at Howard’s, which would’ve marked its 80th year in operation in 2026.

A week after Black Friday sales, the nearly 80-year-old Howard’s Appliance chain is shuttering all of its Southern California stores, offering only two day’s notice to employees and nothing to customers with orders in limbo.

The notice, signed by Isaiah Padilla, the logistics general manager for Howard’s, said the company was closing its business operations, effective Dec. 6, due to “circumstances beyond our control.”

Padilla could not be reached for comment on Friday.

The company began in 1946 as a radio repair shop in San Gabriel and later evolved into one of Southern California’s leading independent appliance retailers, expanding into televisions and mattresses.

Howard’s was based in La Habra for years before consolidating operations in 2024 to a new headquarters in City of Industry. It was acquired in April by S5 Equity, a private equity firm based in Newport Beach, to help with the cash-starved company’s turnaround.

S5 Equity Managing Director Baudelio Bueno did not return a phone call Friday seeking comment.

Social media reports indicated employees were notified on Thursday, Dec. 4 that they had been laid off.

Representatives at stores in Alhambra, Covina, La Habra and Tustin could not be reached, and the Howard’s website also was down. Howard’s operated at least 17 stores before it was acquired.

Customers were left with no answers regarding their appliance orders.

“My parent just ordered a new range from Howard’s and then saw this morning they are all closing? They haven’t received the range yet, and apparently all the stores are closing as of tomorrow. My mom called 4 different stores and no one is picking up,” wrote one Reddit member, with 41 people commenting on the post by late Friday afternoon.

In September, Paul and Donna Brewer of Laguna Niguel paid $6,152.07 for a Speed Queen washer and dryer, including pedestals and accessories, from their local Howard’s.

Delivery was promised by the end of October, but the appliances never came. They threatened to cancel the order if they didn’t arrive by Dec. 12, as promised.

“We have, as of two days ago, made payments of $1,500,” said Paul Brewer, who provided the Southern California News Group with a copy of his sales receipt. “We either want to receive our refund of $1,500 or the appliance, per our agreement.”

Brea couple Lily and Alan Marcum, both in their 70s, bought a Frigidaire refrigerator for $3,500 at the La Habra store but decided that they wanted to trade it back in for a GE model.

Lily Marcum said that she has a bad back and didn’t want to stoop over when pulling out the two bottom freezer drawers.

They paid $411.98 to trade out the Frigidaire model for a GE model, and have been promised delivery of the new one since September. “We charged the full amount,” said Lily Marcum of the purchase.

“It’s a real piece of work,” she said of the Frigidaire. “It’s not very good. We want a refund.”

At the time of the S5 acquisition earlier this year, Peter Boutros, the chief executive officer of Howard’s Appliance, said it was “poised for the future.”

“It’s not just about sustaining our legacy — this acquisition is about building upon it,” he said in a statement in April.

S5 Equity, an investment firm led by the Steinhafel family, made its first acquisition in 2022, when it partnered with Prelude Wine Holdings to buy Wiens Cellars in Temecula. In March 2025, it bought Minnesota-based Heartland America, a discount catalog and online retailer for consumers seeking to buy electronics, houseware and apparel.

The Steinhafel family has connections with Steinhafels Furniture in Wisconsin, as well as Gregg Steinhafel, who resigned as president and chief executive officer of Minnesota-based Target Corp. in 2014 following a data breach that exposed 40 million credit and debit card accounts.

CIF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

La Habra (11-3) at Bakersfield Christian (13-0), Friday, 7:30 p.m.

The Highlanders have taken on the identify of a run-first football team, and it carried them to a 27-13 victory over San Jacinto in the CIF Southern Section Division 4 title game last week. It is the school’s eighth championship, all won with head coach Frank Mazzotta.

Junior running back Kevika Mata’Utia-Martinez had his best game of the season against San Jacinto, carrying the ball 33 times for 205 yards and two touchdowns. In fact, Martinez’s four best games have come during these playoffs. He will look for that to continue against undefeated Bakersfield Christian.

Quarterback DJ Mitchell, who has thrown for 2,576 yards and 30 touchdowns this season, also has had his four best rushing games in the playoffs. Mitchell ran for 104 yards and a touchdown in a 20-7 win over Oaks Christian in the semifinals, and he ran for 93 yards against San Jacinto. Mitchell has attempted only 13 passes over the past three games because teams have been unable to stop their run game.

Bakersfield Christian is well rested. They haven’t played since beating Liberty, 38-16, on Nov. 21 to win the CIF Central Section Division I-A crown. The Eagles are led by quarterback Lincoln Adame, who has thrown for 1,337 yards and 23 touchdowns. Darriyon Page gets the bulk of the carries for their backfield, which averages 130 yards rushing. In the win over Liberty, Page ran for 174 yards and three touchdowns. Bakersfield Christian’s best win was a 16-14 upset of Bakersfield on Oct. 17.

The HSratings.com computer projects La Habra as a one-point favorite in the matchup. It’s the right call. Since the Highlanders have taken on a run-heavy approach, they have been a different team. They can always go to Mitchell, one of the area’s best passers, if things aren’t going right. But that hasn’t happened and Mazzotta knows how to get things done in December.

The pick: La Habra