Ann & Hope Curtain & Bath Outlet 'Permanently' Closed In Vernon

VERNON, CT — The closing of the Ann & Hope Curtain & Bath Outlet in Vernon didn't make it very far into a formal closing sale before being shut down for good.

A sign was posted on the main entrance door this week announcng the store was "permanently" shuttered. A good portion of the store had been cleaned out since the closing was announced in late June, but some curtains and wall hangings were still visible inside the building.

"There's still stuff in there," one disgruntled shopper said Thursday while reading the sign and peeking inside. "I need stuff."

The Vernon location, in the old KMart plaza at 295 Hartford Turnpike, was the only Ann & Hope Curtain & Bath outlet in the state. The closing sign directed shoppers to the Mills, MA, store, which happens to be 77.8 miles away, according to Google Maps.

The "formal closing sale commenced on July 9 and clerks had been unsure of a final day. Shoppers had been cleaning out entire sections of the store since the closing declaration was made.

The company's founding family cited the coronavirus as the reason in a news release. In addition to Vernon, all Curtain & Bath Outlet Stores in Rhode Island and Massachusetts are expected to close by the end of the summer.

"Due to the significant economic impact brought on by the unprecedented COVID-19 public health crisis, Ann & Hope has made the difficult decision to permanently cease its Curtain & Bath Outlet operations across New England over the next three to four months," the founders said.

Ann & Hope stores began opening in southern New England since in 1953.