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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Room for improvement ... Electric Highway aims to spark more EV use ... Rogue River man held on murder charge ... Room for improvement ... Electric Highway aims to spark more EV use ... Rogue River man held on murder charge ... BUSINESS After seven decades in Medford, Larson's will be emptied Saturday There will be one last go-round Saturday for Larson's Home Furnishings, when the remnants of the store's once massive inventory is auctioned off. Comment By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 7, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 7, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Bryon Millard channeled thousands of auction items to Larson's Home Furnishings in downtown Medford over the years. There will be one last go-round Saturday at 213 Fir St. when the flow is reversed and Millard auctions off the remnants of the store's once massive inventory. The iconic furniture and appliance store founded shortly after World War II announced its closure last August. Sales continued until a few weeks ago. "Over the years we've sold them a lot of stuff through auctions," Millard said. "Through the years Larson's was probably the biggest buyer in the Rogue Valley at auctions. "We've sold a lot of stuff, but this one is probably the most important and influential, because it's such a historical thing — everyone knew Bruce (Larson)." In a matter of four or five hours the remaining inventory will be sold. All the inventory is new: Refrigerators, stoves, ovens, microwaves, washers, dryers, trash compactors, dishwashers, complete kitchen cabinet set-ups, stove tops, warming drawers. There are living room chairs and beds —  lots of them, along with audio equipment, televisions and the obligatory accessories. Millard expects to see representatives from furniture and appliance companies and people wanting to renovate their houses or kitchens, along with the curious. He estimates the remaining stock is worth in the neighborhood of $200,000. The actual value, of course, will be up the bidders. "Whatever the last bid, that's what it sells for," Millard said. "The advantage of auction, sometimes you can buy well under wholesale; it depends on who shows up and who wants it the most." The family operation began in 1945, when Al and Lulu Larson bought a local appliance repair business on East Main Street, Bruce Larson followed in his parents' footsteps, acquiring his father's share in the company in 1963. He pushed the superstore concept long before many of his national competitors, expanding into Klamath Falls, Roseburg and Redding, Calif., in the 1980s. Bruce's son and daughter pursued other career paths out of the region. When Bruce's health deteriorated and no buyer was available, the family decided to close. Larson's Fir Street buildings — a multilevel, 46,500-square-foot building north of 10th Street and a 24,270-square-foot structure south of 10th Street connected by a sky bridge — were put up for sale last fall. The listed price was $2.2 million. Last month, however, the property was advertised for lease — $13,500 monthly for the 68,912-square-foot primary structure next to KOBI-TV, and $5,200 for the 27,270-square-foot building south of 10th Street. "They kept the doors open as long as they could with closeout sales," Millard said. "You can keep going and going and it doesn't pay for labor, or your man-hours." Millard conducts five to 10 going-of-business auctions annually. Like Southern Oregon Stationery, whose remaining contents Millard will auction Jan. 14, there were multiple factors leading to the end. "We have a pretty strong economy," Millard said. "As bad as people think it is, the economy is really good. We generate a lot of business. People think having an auction is a bad thing, but really it's not because it generates all those dollars right back into your economy. Both Bruce and (Southern Oregon Stationery owner) Hoby Scott retired. They serviced a lot of people for a lot of years." In some cases, Millard would haul inventory to his auction house on Crater Lake Highway. In this case, he said, it would take too long. "This will be the last time people will come here as Larson's," Millard said. "Larson's is closed, but this is what's left of their inventory that's left. I didn't see moving it would be beneficial. People would like to truly say, yep, it went out of business and I was there." A preview is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and the auction begins at 10 a.m. Saturday. Buyers have until Tuesday to cart off items. "It's the end of a (life) cycle," said Millard, whose own family business went through changes a decade ago. "For every new beginning there is an end and for every end there is a new beginning. Something else will go in here, it just continues on." Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 541-776-4463 or [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GregMTBusiness , on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/greg.stiles.31 , and read his blog at www.mailtribune.com/Economic Edge .             By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 7, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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