I went to World of Tile — the amazing time capsule tile store located in Springfield, New Jersey — yesterday. Here is the liquidation sale information I received directly from the owner of the company running everything:
World of Tile closing sale information:
- The liquidation sale will operate daily — yes, seven days a week — from 8 a.m. until whenever customers clear out, even as late as 9 p.m.
The last day of the sale will be Monday, Nov. 17. At least that’s the current known schedule.Update: I now have a report for a trusted source that Friday, Nov. 13, will be the last day. Update to followers of this thread: I just talked to the liquidators (time, 11 a.m. Thurs.). They said that Friday “may” be the last day. Dumpsters have been ordered, and tile will start going into dumpsters on Saturday. It’s not clear whether the place will remain open on Saturday or subsequent days.Update to followers of this thread: I just talked to the liquidators (time, 3 p.m. Friday). They will be open Saturday, but that “may” be the last day. Dumpsters have been ordered, and tile will start going into dumpsters on Saturday. MIDNIGHT SATURDAY update: Just got home from spending 10.5 hours at World of Tile. I closed the place down. They are going to be open Sunday, boxes of tile will be $3-$4, they say. Oh my word. The treasures. Still. SUNDAY MORNING 11-16 UPDATE: I am getting weary of calling every day to get info – they keep saying it’s the last day, then they keep extending. Here is the office phone for the liquidators, call for updates: 973-672-2777.CLOSED. KAPUT. It’s over.- The entire space is open to the public to hunt for treasures. There are no treasure maps. It’s a funhouse madhouse like you have never experienced, I am not kidding you.
- All sales are cash only.
- Bring extra to tip all the workers who help you!
- There is a sign on the front door saying that the original owners of the store are relocating to another spot. Clearly, they have taken some stock with them. It’s just difficult to know which stock, because there is so much still. I would not depend on any future for replacement tiles.
My shopping tips:
- The space is ginormous. Plan a lot of time to be there hunting.
- If you need tile for a big project, bring your list of requirements with you. Or else: Your head will be spinning and you may not be able to think. Drats, I bought a bunch of tile for my kitchen backsplash, but I forgot — I need some bullnose, too. I don’t even know if they have the bullnose for this tile. I may end up donating it to my local Re-Store. Drats, it’s gorgeous. Bring your list and “hunt to it.”
- Yesterday, I was paying $10 per box of tile. Everything else was priced when I brought it to the front. I thought prices were super reasonable.As other readers who’ve been there have said, it is very dusty. If this is a concern to you, bring gloves and mask. There are bathrooms. Bring your own TP, to be safe. If grody bathrooms bother you, plan on bio breaks, there are lots of restaurants nearby. There’s also a Goodwill close by on 22 – readers have previously indicated good stuff may be found there, if you want to make an even bigger epic of the day.
- The place also can be dark in spots. A flashlight helps. Reader Louis, who I met there yesterday, had a fancy flashlight that threw “true” light. Thank you, Louis, for your help yesterday! It was also great to meet Sue, my first tipster that something was up.
- You are mostly on your own in this endeavor, although Jerry, a longtime World of Tile staffer now working on the liquidator’s team, may be available some days to help locate stock coded on display boards in the upstairs rooms. This part goes slow, because Jerry is the only one who knows how to decode and is being pulled in all directions by customers on site.
- TIP JERRY if he helps you!
- There are also very helpful workers on hand to help you carry boxes of tile, if you buy a bunch and/or need help. TIP THESE WORKERS, too.
- Rent a truck with a payload if you are going to buy a lot of tile. This stuff gets heavy. You might bring your own staircart… Note, though, the basement is on levels.
- Wear one of those weight belts if you are concerned about stressing your back. I should have.
- The globe on the big sign, and the 3-D wire globe on the front of the building: Sold. I know, ‘cuz I tried to buy the wire globe.
- For more comments from readers who have been to the sale, see our Monday story and the comment thread.
What’s left inside World of Tile
- If you go through all the images in our previous stories, you will get some sense of what you may find.
- There is still tile galore in the basement. And when I say “basement,” I mean, like seven areas of basement. I was there for four hours+, scanning all areas for treasures, and I still think I missed a few rooms.
It took me nearly four hours to drive down, I was there four hours, then four hours home. Once I got on the Garden State, it was also Gotham traffic. I have not been this exhausted in a long time. I might go back next week. With a truck.
Update: What did I buy: Beautiful white 2″ x 2″ white tile for my kitchen backsplash. The stuff is stunning — Made in Japan — but a half hour into my trip back home, I realized I forgot about bullnose. I will call to see if Jerry can identify whether any exists, but I seriously doubt so. I also bought some pretty green tile to tile my living room fireplace (cover the brick) but I am not sure I will really do it. I will likely just hoard the tile. Ugh. Finally, I also found some vintage chrome recessed bathroom fixtures. I’ll do a follow up on those!
Nov. 13 — Update from the original World of Tile team and their plans:
- I heard from the original World of Tile team. They plan on opening in a new location — Keansburg, NJ — within a few months. Before they left, they took much of the vintage pastel colored field tile — with plans to reopen their replacement tile business.
- So, if you were planning on using them as a source, they may still have what you need. You will just need to wait. They promised to let me know when they are up and running again.
Ashley says
Hi all – I went on Monday. It was a bit of madness, which you can read about on my blog. They did say on Monday that there were just a few days left. The whole time I was there I felt like I was in a race against the clock since buyers were there marking everything they wanted for their stores. I’m glad the tile will find a home elsewhere, but it was a little crazy trying to find things that weren’t already being picked by them.
I’m also curious as to what the new World of Tile will be. It says they are reopening elsewhere, but I don’t remember where or if the new locale will only have new tile not new old stock.
Julie says
Help. I may drive there tomorrow (Nov 13) but i need to know if it is still open and if they still have stuff left. Trying to keep our 70s style bathrooms and I saw in a previous post that they had/have our current floor tile. Can anyone help? Are they still open?
Kate says
According to what they told Pam, they are open every day until November 17th, so you should be fine. Pam says they had SO MUCH TILE that she isn’t sure they could sell it all by then, so there should be plenty left for you to dig through. Good luck!
Julie says
LOVE! I think I am gonna take the day off and make the 2 hr drive. i will let everyone know!
julie says
Baby is sick. My adventure is cancelled. Maybe friday.
Kate says
UPDATE: Pam now reports that Friday may be the last day they will be open.
Alan says
Linda: Saw your comment about replacing your mint green bull nose with black. Yes I would be interested in your mint green bull nose. My e-mail: Hotsummerday54@yahoo.com Thanks
ashley campbell says
I need help! World of tile had/has the exact 4×4 tiles we need to finish restoring our bathroom in a 1950s cape cod home. They are cream white but have raised edge which makes them VERY difficult to replicate. Does anyone know if they have a wholesaler they use or if ALL there stock is at the store? I’ve been emailing the owners Gary and Chippy but havent heard a response. I’m guessing they are pretty busy with the closing sale. Would anyone be willing to buy them for me (I live in KY) and I’ll pay you for them plus shipping and extra for your time???
ashley campbell says
The world of tile people had it listed as
41 pieces- VERA
1094-A
if that helps locate it
pam kueber says
Ashley, Chippy and Gary are not there.
Linda says
I tried to reply to Alan but I don’t think it went through.
I was at WoT on Sunday I’m about 1/2 hr away.
I got enough tile to replace my mint green bullnose with black.
Alan, if you’re interested, let me know and you’re welcome to it.
There’s about 40-50 pieces.
Alan says
I mentioned Jasco Tile also on Rt. 22 previously. They’re in either Springfield, Mountainside or Union. They have a wide choice of colors with their ceramic tiles. I went there after World Of Tile. Maybe they can be of help to someone. They’re not closing so you would be paying the regular price though.
Connie H says
Well, I’m just sick! I purchased tile from them in January to do repairs in my middle bathroom. NOW, I’ve got tile off in my 2nd bathroom & have tried to call, not realizing they were closing. I have a 1957 pink bathroom, the nice soft shade of pink. Does anyone have any ideas for places I can purchase replacement, I’m going to need about 10-12 tiles? I’m in KY so a trip to NJ is out.
Connie H says
.sorry, my tiles are 4×4.
Lisa says
Made a road trip there from Pittsburgh on Sunday. Honestly, it is overwhelming what they have. It’s so hard to understand how they never went online! With the NOS treasures people like us would have cleaned them out! If you aren’t even looking for tile but just love retro renovations you must visit before it is gone. Unless you are truly wealthy no one nowadays can purchase the quality of interesting styles and colors that they have on hand. It’s like a fantasy. As I am relocating soon and have no set project planned I came out with boxes of 4×4 of various colors and themes including mushrooms, mod birds, beautiful raised leaves and geometric bright orange patterns that I can always work into a backsplash, tile onto a table or whatever I choose. It was hard to stop and as I drove back today all I could think about was what else I could/should have bought!!!!!
Alan says
Since I’m only 20 minutes away from Rt. 22 I’d love to go and find things for people from way out of the area. The problem is not knowing where to find what your looking for. The liquidation co. needs more people there with a knowledge of what’s there and where to find it. It’s a real job looking through all the shelves in all the small rooms and hallways. I left after 2 hours. I had enough.
pam kueber says
The only person who can decipher the codes on the boards is Jerry, and he is pulled in a million directions.
Readers, if you are not thrilled by the enormity of a hunt, this is not the adventure for you!
Lisa says
If you do go back I’d be interested to see if you could find any more boxes of patterned H&R Johnson Cristal tiles. They are easy to spot in bright orange boxes but I was unable to hit every room before I returned to Pittsburgh!!
Bluejay says
We went last night and was there for about 4 hours. I had never seen the backrooms: oh my gosh! There is still so much stock, it’s hard to process. We also talked to the woman running the sale; she indicated that the car dealership would be tearing down the building, which is a real shame. There were still sheets of tile in the random pattern (I saw straight pink, pink/grey, blue, and solid grey). If anyone goes, don’t expect the staff to help; you will need to root through the stuff on your own. I did get a built-in paper towel holder, similar to the Caloric Caddie variety, as well as few sample boards and a case of American Olean tile samples. I lucked out and found a little room with a few of the kitchen fixtures as well. We have all of the tile we need, so mercifully I didn’t need to purchase any. 😀
Overall, while there are deals to be had, the general air around the place is kind of sad. We did inquire about the map and the woman running the sale said an offer had been made of $25K for the mosaic map. I really hope that offer is legit, as it really should be saved; it’s impressive.