This weekend, I received confirmation from a reader who’s been to the liquidation sale, twice: Yes, World of Tile — our beloved time capsule tile store — chock full of New Old Stock going back to the 1960s — seems to be in the midst of closing. Currently, there is a big closeout of all stock going on — 80% off, Marie says, and you can wander throughout the cavernous structure to hunt treasure in every nook and cranny. I do love me a time capsule liquidation sale — and this may be one unlike any other — but even so, please say it ain’t so. Alas. Lovely photo of World of Tile’s classic 1960s sign courtesy Tony Zarak on flickr and professionally here (link now gone).
Marie wrote to me on Saturday:
Thanks to you, I discovered World of Tile in Springfield, New Jersey.
Sadly today, I discovered it was sold and in liquidation.
Yes. I went to the store today. It was so sad. Liquidator service is there. No one in charge really. [Marie had some info from the folks on site about what had occurred to lead to the liquidation sale, but I do not feel comfortable publishing this.]
Right now every room is open to the public to roam and select things and pay for it in cash. So, those wonderful black ceramic bathroom fixtures she used to sell for $30 are going for $5. Boxes of 50 tiles – $8/box. There is room upon room of tile and you just make a deal for it. Very good deals indeed, I’m sorry to say.
But for your readers, if they go (with a mask and a flashlight-it’s dusty), the gigantic caverns are theres to explore and find treasures! You can go upstairs, downstairs, basement and the rooms in the warehouse. Crazy!
Marie
Thank you, Marie!
Update: I spoke with Marie this morning — she added that on-site liquidators told her that the sale is expected to continue for about two weeks.
I had received hints of this news from a few other readers, but could not confirm what was going on. As of early last week, at least, the phone number was disconnected. My emails were not returned. I then began trying to reach a friend nearby to see if she could drive over to see if I could get some sort of official information on the situation. While I was trying to find out something definitive, I didn’t want to jump the gun with a speculative story. But now, we have Marie’s on-site report. So here’s the story, as much as I know.
World of Tile — the single most important discovery on Retro Renovation ever
This is really sad. I loved that place.
I loved that we — via readers Jason and Nicky (that’s Jason just above) — “discovered” World of Tile, “the single most important discovery” ever on Retro Renovation …
… and got it in The New York Times …
… and I wrote all about their many tile varieties and sinks and table legs and backsplashes and counted 95 colors of pink tile and more …
… and I became friends with Chippy …
… and when I called to say hi she would tell me about the latest excitement — like World of Tile tile being used in scene in American Hustle …
… and readers used World of Tile in their projects …
… and it was Our World of Tile.
Yikes, I have things going on today and tomorrow. But if I can confirm that doors are open on Wednesday… and if I can steel myself for the three-hour drive (each way, ugh), I might drive down to World of Tile with a camera and video camera and a big wad of cash for one last visit … and one final report.