GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Those who sell and shop for antiques at the Sligh Furniture Company building in Grand Rapids will have to wait at least a week to find out the fate of the historic facility.
A motion to approve the closure of the former furniture factory, originally scheduled to be heard by Judge Curt A. Benson in 17th Circuit Court on Thursday Dec. 4, has been postponed to Friday, Dec. 12.
In addition to scheduling conflicts, John Polderman, the court-appointed receiver over the building, said the hearing was adjourned because one or more of the building's tenants filed a motion to intervene in the case.
For more than a decade, the building has held Warehouse One Antiques, Century Antiques and Lost and Found Treasures of Old and New which, in collaboration with their vendors, sell vintage furniture, clothing, collectibles, home decor and more.
Last month, Polderman filed the motion to close the five-story facility, citing safety concerns and a lack of revenue for maintenance and repairs.
The legal maneuver came months after the Sligh building was placed into a receivership — a court-ordered remedy in which a neutral third-party is appointed to manage property during a legal dispute — after its owners failed to pay loans on the property.
According to the motion, Polderman "believes that closure of the building is the only viable option."
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Owners of Grand Rapids antique stores hope to stay in historic building
In a previous interview with FOX 17, the owner of Warehouse One Antiques said she felt differently.
"It's not just about us," Mary Beth Schutt said. "It's about Grand Rapids, too."
"When you walk through [our stores], you're not just looking at antiques, you're looking at history."
