U.K.-based Wren Kitchens abruptly ceased all U.S. operations on April 23, shuttering all brick-and-mortar retail locations and all of its showroom studios inside The Home Depot stores nationwide. Court documents show that Wren Kitchens filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the District of Delaware bankruptcy court on April 24.
According to social media, the sudden closure blindsided employees and customers. Former U.S. employees, including workers at the company’s manufacturing facility in Hanover Township, Pennsylvania, are now without jobs. Unfortunately, many customers say they are now facing uncertainty, with some saying they’ve demolished kitchens and are still awaiting installation.
A notice on the Wren Kitchens U.S. website reads: “We regret to inform you that our showrooms and studios are now closed.” Below that is a link to a form, available to employees, suppliers, and customers who need assistance.
The custom-fitted kitchen manufacturer and retailer had announced its partnership with Home Depot in 2024. The two retailers teamed up to bring Wren Kitchens Studios showrooms inside Home Depot locations in the U.S. The company also had 15 brick-and-mortar retail stores in the U.S.
An archived version of wren.us lists 51 showrooms throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
Customers are left in limbo, and former staff are without jobs
In a WNEP-TV news article discussing the sudden closure of the company’s warehouse in Hanover Township, Pennsylvania, employees shared that the closure was unexpected.
According to the article, Wren Kitchens gave employees an extra day’s pay and compensated them for any accrued days off. However, employee benefits, including health insurance, were expected to be terminated as of Saturday.
The WARN Act requires employers with more than 100 full-time employees to file a 60-day notice informing employees and government officials of upcoming layoffs. However, employees report that the company didn’t give advance notice, and that they discovered the closure during a Zoom call on April 23.
Customers took to social media to express their outrage, voicing concerns about unfinished installations and warranties that may no longer be valid. Some customers explained that the company had taken their deposits only days earlier.
For its part, Home Depot provided the following statement to Fast Company: “Wren Kitchens has alerted us that they’ve ceased operations in the United States, which includes closing their showrooms in our stores. We had no previous notice of Wren’s intent to close. Customers with questions should contact The Home Depot’s Customer Solutions team or contact Wren directly.”
This story has been updated with a statement from Home Depot.