Wickes will close all stores by the end of April

Customers have only a few weeks left to shop at Wickes Furniture in Costa Mesa. The Illinois-based furniture chain plans to shut down all its stores this spring.

The Costa Mesa store opened in 1983 at Harbor Boulevard and Gisler Avenue, and moved in November 2006 into the South Coast Home Furnishings Centre by the 405 Freeway. Wickes was the first tenant at the furnishings center, which features high-profile retailers along with smaller shops.

A spokeswoman for Wickes said the company planned to close all its stores by the end of April. The Costa Mesa location is expected to stay open about that long. Many stopped by Tuesday to take advantage of the closing sale.

“We’ve shopped at Wickes for years,” said Huntington Beach resident Judee Schultz. “I’m amazed they’re going out of business after moving here just a few months ago.”

Chuck Runge, a father of five, said he visited Wickes in search of discounts.

“We just moved to Anaheim, so we’re trying to get some furniture to fill it up,” he said.

— Michael Miller