USA Living
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Fate | Filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closed operations in 2015 |
| Headquarters | Norfolk, Virginia , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Retail goods (including jewelry under Fletcher's Jewelers) |
USA Discounters, Ltd. (operating under the names USA Living and Fletcher's Jewelers) was a retail enterprise headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, United States. The company operated from its establishment in 1991 until ceasing operations in 2015.
History
- Debt Collection Practices
A July 2014 report revealed that USA Discounters garnished the wages of more active-duty military personnel than any other corporation nationwide, based on payroll data from the Department of Defense obtained by ProPublica.
In response, USA Discounters issued a statement clarifying that only "1%" of their military clientele faced wage garnishment, and only after all other collection methods had been exhausted.
- Rebranding Effort
In October 2014, the company announced a rebranding initiative, adopting the trade name "USA Living." This change applied solely to the storefront branding of "USA Discounters" and "Fletcher's Jewelers" locations, while the legal corporate name remained unchanged.
- Bankruptcy Proceedings
USA Discounters filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in August 2015 and subsequently initiated the process of closing its retail outlets.
- Regulatory Scrutiny
The firm underwent investigations and enforcement actions by several authorities, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Colorado Attorney General's office, and the North Carolina Attorney General. These inquiries focused on the company's business practices related to military consumers.