Richmond-based Heilig-Meyers Co., at one time a major national player in the home furnishings market, is planning to close its remaining 375 stores, including the one in South Boston.
Heilig-Meyers employs seven people locally at its store on Halifax Road near Centerville.
"It's not been the easiest day for anyone," said Heilig-Meyers spokesperson Anita Marie Hill yesterday, adding that going-out-of-business sales would begin at the end of the month at stores designated to close.
The company anticipates that the closing sales will be completed by mid- to late-summer.
Company officials announced Wednesday plans to close the remaining 375 Heilig-Meyers stores and liquidate inventory as the company prepares to concentrate on other endeavors.
"Since the company's voluntary Chapter 11 filing in August 2000, management and the board of directors have been exploring various restructuring alternatives that would result in maximum recovery to our stores," said Donald S. Shaffer, president and chief executive officer.
"After extensive review of our operations, in what has proved to be an extremely challenging retail environment, it was determined that our RoomStore format should be the centerpiece of our ongoing reorganization efforts.
That format, under which customers may purchase entire rooms of furniture, complete with accessories and decor items, has been successful for the company, according to Shaffer.
The company's 54 RoomStores are concentrated in metropolitan markets in Texas, Maryland and Washington, D.C., and generate annual revenue of about $300 million, company officials said.
"As we finalize our restructuring plans and restore the confidence of our associates and those vendors which supply the RoomStore, we firmly believe these stores will be positioned to effectively compete in today's retail furniture industry," said Shaffer.
Shaffer said that 16 traditional Heilig-Meyers stores were converted to RoomStores since the filing, and the company is studying the conversion of additional stores in selected markets.
The Heilig-Meyers Store in South Boston is not under consideration for conversion to the RoomStores format, according to Hill.
Shaffer said that since the filing, the company completed various strategic intitiatives at the Heilig-Meyers stores aimed at reducing working capital requirements and improving cash flow, including the closing of over 400 underperforming stores and the outsourcing of the company's customer credit operations.
"Despite our significant progress, we determined that based on the slowing of the economy and considerable weakening of the retail market, a successful reorganization of the traditional Heilig-Meyers furniture stores could not be completed within a timeframe that would allow us to fulfill our fudiciary responsibility to our creditors and other stakeholders," Shaffer added.
The local Heilig-Meyers has been in its current location on Halifax Road since 1971 or 1972, when it bought Thornton's Furniture, said store manager David Woltz, who refered all questions concerning his store to company officials.

By LARRY O'DELL
Associated Press Writer
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Voting mostly along party lines, the House of Delegates and the Senate passed Republican-authored redistricting plans that Democrats predicted would be invalidated by the U.S. Justice Department or the courts.
The House voted 60-38 Thursday to pass a plan that lumps 13 Democratic incumbents, including the party's floor leader and its caucus chairman, into six districts and puts two others in districts now represented by Republicans.
The Senate voted 23-17 to approve its new map, which pairs two Democratic incumbents in one district and pits another against a GOP senator in strongly Republican district.
Del. Jay W. DeBoer of Petersburg was one of several Democrats who said the House plan is illegal because it uses ''racial gerrymandering'' to pack minorities into a dozen black-majority districts and dilute black voting influence elsewhere. Similar objections were raised in the Senate.
''There are several oddly shaped districts with appendages and protrusions intended to reach out and grab minority voters,'' DeBoer said.
Half of the 12 black-majority House districts would have black populations of more than 60 percent. Democrats said those districts should have black populations of 52 percent to 55 percent, which would increase black influence in adjoining districts.
Del. Jack Rust, R-Fairfax, argued that the plan ''treats minorities fairly, properly and legally.''
DeBoer also said the public was given insufficient opportunity to comment on the plan and that districts ''appear to be drawn with purely political objectives.''
Among those paired with other Democrats in the same district are Minority Leader C. Richard Cranwell of Roanoke County, Assistant Minority Leader Thomas M. Jackson Jr. of Carroll County and Del. Creigh Deeds of Bath County, the caucus chairman.

GOP 60th House seat contender Nancy Carwile withdrew from the race yesterday.
The Charlotte County educator threw her support to South Boston resident and Keysville businessman Clarke Hogan, leaving him a clear shot at his party's nomination.
Carwile announced her withdrawal during a press conference with Hogan at Charlotte Courthouse.
She and Hogan had been vying for the seat being vacated by retiring Del. W.W. "Ted" Bennett, a Democrat.
Carwile, who threw her hat in the political ring last year, said that her decision followed a four-hour talk with Hogan on Monday afternoon. She said that she left the private meeting "pleased with his answers" to some tough questions.
"I am confident that Clarke will be a strong, thoughtful voice in Richmond," she said in a prepared statement yesterday. "He shares my hopes and dreams for the future of this region and he has the energy and determination to work hard to accomplish them.
"Therefore, I have no hesitation in withdrawing from the campaign and in recommending that you support Mr. Hogan's candidacy now and at the polls in November."
In her statement, Carwile said that after Hogan's election he will open a district headquarters in Keysville, the center of the new 60th District.
Hogan thanked Carwile for her support and endorsement of his candidacy.
Agreeing that education is a high priority and essential for economic development, Hogan also promised to work to attract desirable industry, to encourage the installation of high-speed Internet connections and to promote Highway 501 expansion.
"Without this kind of connectivity, national or even regional industries will not choose our communities," he said.
However, with development and increased population, Hogan said that it was "vital to retain our rural quality of life" by protecting open spaces, forests, wildlife and clean water.
Carwile said that she had entered the campaign because she saw the district as being cut into pieces in ways other than redistricting.
"Far too many voices were calling for special privileges or special rules or special funding, and far too few people had a vision for what we could accomplish, what we could be, if we worked together for common goals in this, the very heartland of Virginia," she said.
Carwile said that she had worked to encourage a district "unified in jurisdictions, unified common interests, unified in purpose."
She also said that she was delighted with the proposed lines for the 60th District.
As proposed, Carwile noted that the 60th District will hold two small airports, two regional hospitals, Longwood College, Hampden-Sydney College, Southside Virginia Community College, along with the Continuing Education Center in South Boston, a variety of businesses and industries, forests, farmland, water resources, open spaces, state parks, motorsports and historical sites, among other assets.
The proposed 60th House District includes Halifax and Charlotte counties, over half of Prince Edward County and part of Nottoway County.

An additional charge has been filed against a South Boston man arrested early Tuesday morning on multiple charges, including assaulting a police officer.
South Boston Police Chief Col. Jim Hall said yesterday a warrant has been issued against Michael Wayne New Jr. of South Boston charging him with a misdemeanor petit larceny charge.
Hall said the charge stems from an alleged theft that occurred at Wal-Mart in the early morning hours Tuesday.
According to Hall, the items taken from Wal-Mart have been recovered.
Some of the items were recovered from the vehicle driven by New after it was stopped in South Boston by police early Tuesday morning, the police chief noted.
New was arrested by South Boston Police Officer Dan Frazier early Tuesday on charges of assaulting a police officer, driving under the influence and refusing to take a blood or breath test.
The arrest was made after police stopped a vehicle driven by New at the Crowell Motor Company parking lot in South Boston.
Hall said earlier this week that Officers Dan Frazier and Jennifer Baldwin received a report regarding a shoplifting larceny at Wal-Mart in Centerville.
The officers received a description of the vehicle allegedly involved in the incident and stopped it at Crowell Motor Company at 1:34 a.m.
The assault, DUI and refusal to take a blood or breath test charges were filed against New following the traffic stop.
A member of New's family has since filed a complaint with the Virginia State Police alleging the use of unnecessary force by South Boston police.
Lt. Raymond Scott, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Criminal Investigations for the Virginia State Police, said yesterday that New's mother, Cathy New, has filed a complaint with the agency.
Scott declined to comment except to say that his department will investigate the matter.
Hall said he also could not comment on the matter.
"We have nothing to hide," Hall said.
"We encourage the investigation and we will cooperate fully with the Virginia State Police."

In other police reports:
Calvin B. Barksdale, 48, of Danville, was charged with reckless driving Wednesday morning after overturning a 1989 Peterbilt tractor-trailer on James D. Hagood Highway (Route 360).
Trooper D. J. Cline said the accident occurred at 4:30 a.m. when the driver ran off of the left side of the road, struck a culvert and then overturned one mile east of Red Level Church Road (Route 715).
The driver escaped injury, however, an estimated $30,000 in damages occurred, according to Cline.

Thomas Webster Owen, 82, of 1307 Friend Avenue, South Boston, died April 11 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Owen was born in Halifax County on January 12, 1919, the son of William Beverly Owen and Annie Mae Williamson Owen and was married to Elizabeth McCrary Owen. He was a member of First Baptist Church, and was a vice president and 37-year employee of Sovran Bank.
Survivors include his wife; one daughter, Ann O. Ozmer of Sutherlin; one son, Harry W. Owen of Sutherlin; one grandson, Adam Webb Ozmer of Ashland; and one sister and brother-in-law, Nixie O. and William Thompson of Sutherlin.
Funeral services for Mr. Owen will be held today, April 13 at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Bob Fox conducting the service. Burial will take place in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the South Boston-Halifax County Museum of Fine Arts and History.

Wayne Dickerson Reese, 58, of Athens, Ga., died April 5.
Mr. Reese was born in Halifax County on September 4, 1942, the son of John Robert Reese and Cecile Coates Reese.
Survivors include two sons, Wayne Dickerson Reese Jr. of Butner, NC and Captain Michael Thomas Reese of Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; one granddaughter, Tiffany Rene Reese who lives in Halifax with her grandmother, Shirley Smith Short; one grandson, Michael Thomas Reese Jr. of Ohio; four sisters, Rubey Reese Rickman and Kathleen Reese Irby, both of Lynchburg, Bobbie Reese Hill and Ann Reese Moorefield, both of Nathalie; two brothers, James P. Reese of Nathalie and William H. Reese of Gretna. He was preceded in death by three brothers, Robert Earl, Kenneth Edward and John Bernard Reese.
A memorial service for Mr. Reese will be held April 14 at 3 p.m. at Powell Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Don Cocke conducting the service. There will be a private burial.
The family will receive friends at Powell Funeral Home Saturday for one hour prior to the service.

Charlie Randolph Bruce, 76, of Turbeville died April 9 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Bruce was born in Halifax County on April 25, 1924, the son of Charlie Randolph Bruce and Georgeanna Davis Bruce. He was a member of New Arbor Baptist Church.
Survivors include four daughters, Lois Stone of Brandywine, Md., Sandra Hayes of Forestville, Md., Mary Boysaw of Wytheville and Faye Bruce of South Boston; five sons, Frank Bruce of Harrisonburg, Calvin Bruce of Anchorage, Ala., Charlie Bruce of Oxon Hill, Md., Mitchell Bruce of Newport News and Carl Bruce of El Paso, Texas; 19 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; one sister, Louise Lipscomb of South Boston and one brother, Arthur Bruce of Halifax.
Funeral services for Mr. Bruce will be held April 14 at 1 p.m. at New Arbor Baptist Church with the Rev. Nelson Stamps officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the home of Ms. Faye Bruce, 211 Glendale Drive, South Boston.

William Thomas Sizemore, 45, of Gaithersburg, Md. and formerly of South Boston, died April 10.
Mr. Sizemore was born in South Boston on March 24, 1956, the son of Richard Jordan Sizemore and Jeanne Bodie Sizemore and was married to Susan McMahon Sizemore. He was a member of the Baptist Faith, member of the IEEE, and was an officer with the Parent-Teacher-Student Association in Gaithersburg.
Survivors include his wife; one son, Cameron Joseph Sizemore of Gaithersburg; his mother of South Boston; one sister, Sally Sizemore Muller of Greensboro, N.C.; two brothers, R. Macon Sizemore and Daniel Jordan Sizemore, both of Richmond; his mother-in-law, Beverly Ransenburg of Aiken, SC; his father-in-law, Fred Ransenburg of Aiken and one brother-in-law, Robert McMahon of Aiken.
A memorial service for Mr. Sizemore will be held April 28 at 10:30 a.m. at First Baptist Church, South Boston.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider First Baptist Church "People Of Hope" campaign or the Christian Children's Fund.

Antony Jalink Jr. of Newport News, died April 9.
A native of the Netherlands, he had been a Peninsula resident for 47 years. He was employed as an Engineer at NASA for 39 years.
Survivors of Mr. Jalink include his wife, Evelyn Seamster Jalink, formerly of Halifax County; his daughter, Rosemary Jalink Hegberg and husband, Mark of Miami Beach, Fla.; his son, Antony Edward Jalink and wife, Penny of Charlottesville; sister, Charlotte Reinpoldt of Fla.; a brother, Alfons Jalink and wife, Carol of N.J.; six grandchildren, Brandy, Eddie, Dustin, Amber, Jessica and Kaitlyn; and three stepdaughters, Dawn Moss Wolkowich, Amanda Moss McCall and Leslie Moss Powell.
A memorial service for Mr. Jalink was held April 11 at 6 p.m. at Peninsula Funeral Home by the Rev. Larry Jones.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Northside Church of Christ Building Fund, 1213 Unit E, George Washington Memorial Highway, Yorktown 23693.

Julian Doyce Brown, 65, of 3099 Dan River Church Road, South Boston, died April 11 at his home.
Mr. Brown was born in Mebane, N.C. on August 5, 1935, and was married to Roberta J. Brown. He was a member of Ash Avenue Baptist Church and a lifetime member of VFW Post 8243, was employed as a boiler inspector with Hartford Steam Boiler Insp. and Ins., and was a US Navy and US Coast Guard Veteran.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Pamela L. Brown of Norfolk and Stacy E. Brown-Bull of Manassas and her husband, David; one sister, Geneva Pedersen of Richmond; and four grandchildren.
A funeral service for Mr. Brown will be held at Ash Avenue Baptist Church April 14 at 11 a.m. with the Rev. J.C. Raper officiating. Burial will follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
The family will receive friends this evening from 7:00 until 8:30 at Brooks Funeral Home.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Ash Avenue Baptist Church Building Fund.