Note 1 - Basis of Presentation	6 Months Ended
May 30, 2020
Notes to Financial Statements
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Text Block]	1. Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for complete financial statements. In our opinion, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. References to “ASC” included hereinafter refer to the Accounting Standards Codification established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) as the source of authoritative GAAP. The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Bassett Furniture Industries, Incorporated (“Bassett”, “we”, “our”, or the “Company”) and our wholly-owned subsidiaries of which we have a controlling interest. In accordance with ASC Topic 810, we have evaluated our licensees and certain other entities to determine whether they are variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of which we are the primary beneficiary and thus would require consolidation in our financial statements. To date we have concluded that none of our licensees nor any other of our counterparties represent VIEs. Revenue from the sale of furniture and accessories is reported in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations net of estimates for returns and allowances. Revenues from logistical services are generated by our wholly-owned subsidiary, Zenith Freight Lines, LLC (“Zenith”). Sales of logistical services from Zenith to our wholesale and retail segments have been eliminated in consolidation, and Zenith’s operating costs and expenses are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in our condensed consolidated statements of operations. Our fiscal year, which ends on the last Saturday of November, periodically results in a 53-week year instead of the normal 52 weeks. The prior fiscal year ending November 30, 2019 was a 53-week year, with the additional week being included in the first fiscal quarter of 2019. Accordingly, the information presented below includes 26 weeks of operations for the six months ended May 30, 2020 as compared with 27 weeks included in the six months ended June 1, 2019. Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements Effective as of the beginning of fiscal 2020, we have adopted Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The guidance in ASU 2016-02 (as subsequently amended by ASU 2018-01, ASU 2018-10, ASU 2018-11 and ASU 2018-20) requires that a lessee recognize in the statement of financial position a liability to make lease payments (the lease liability) and a right-of-use asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. We have adopted this standard using the modified retrospective approach. Refer to Note 11, Leases, for more information regarding our leases and the adoption of the new standard. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Upon our Financial Condition and Results of Operations On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the current coronavirus (“COVID-19”) outbreak to be a global pandemic. In response to this declaration and the rapid spread of COVID-19 within the United States, federal, state and local governments throughout the country have imposed varying degrees of restrictions on social and commercial activity to promote social distancing in an effort to slow the spread of the illness. These measures have had a significant adverse impact upon many sectors of the economy, including non-essential retail commerce. In response to these measures and for the protection of our employees and customers, we temporarily closed our dedicated stores, our manufacturing locations and many of our warehouses for several weeks during the second fiscal quarter of 2020. While as of May 30, 2020, we had reopened most of our stores and resumed manufacturing and shipping activities, the extended period of suspended operations has had a material adverse impact upon our results of operations for the three and six months ended May 30, 2020. In addition to operating losses resulting from severely reduced sales volumes, we also recorded charges for goodwill impairment (Note 6) as well as for the impairment of certain other long-lived assets (Note 9). Whereas most state and local governments have begun to ease restrictions on commercial retail activity, it is possible that a resurgence in COVID-19 cases could prompt a return to tighter restrictions in certain areas of the county. Furthermore, the economic recession brought on by the pandemic may have a continuing adverse impact on consumer demand for our products. Therefore, significant uncertainty remains regarding the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 outbreak upon our financial condition and future results of operations, as well as upon the significant estimates and assumptions we utilize in reporting certain assets and liabilities.

Note 1 - Basis of Presentation

6 Months Ended

May 30, 2020

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Text Block]

1. Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for complete financial statements. In our opinion, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included.

References to “ASC” included hereinafter refer to the Accounting Standards Codification established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) as the source of authoritative GAAP.

The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Bassett Furniture Industries, Incorporated (“Bassett”, “we”, “our”, or the “Company”) and our wholly-owned subsidiaries of which we have a controlling interest. In accordance with ASC Topic 810, we have evaluated our licensees and certain other entities to determine whether they are variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of which we are the primary beneficiary and thus would require consolidation in our financial statements. To date we have concluded that none of our licensees nor any other of our counterparties represent VIEs.

Revenue from the sale of furniture and accessories is reported in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations net of estimates for returns and allowances.

Revenues from logistical services are generated by our wholly-owned subsidiary, Zenith Freight Lines, LLC (“Zenith”). Sales of logistical services from Zenith to our wholesale and retail segments have been eliminated in consolidation, and Zenith’s operating costs and expenses are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in our condensed consolidated statements of operations.

Our fiscal year, which ends on the last Saturday of November, periodically results in a 53-week year instead of the normal 52 weeks. The prior fiscal year ending November 30, 2019 was a 53-week year, with the additional week being included in the first fiscal quarter of 2019. Accordingly, the information presented below includes 26 weeks of operations for the six months ended May 30, 2020 as compared with 27 weeks included in the six months ended June 1, 2019.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Effective as of the beginning of fiscal 2020, we have adopted Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The guidance in ASU 2016-02 (as subsequently amended by ASU 2018-01, ASU 2018-10, ASU 2018-11 and ASU 2018-20) requires that a lessee recognize in the statement of financial position a liability to make lease payments (the lease liability) and a right-of-use asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. We have adopted this standard using the modified retrospective approach. Refer to Note 11, Leases, for more information regarding our leases and the adoption of the new standard.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Upon our Financial Condition and Results of Operations

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the current coronavirus (“COVID-19”) outbreak to be a global pandemic. In response to this declaration and the rapid spread of COVID-19 within the United States, federal, state and local governments throughout the country have imposed varying degrees of restrictions on social and commercial activity to promote social distancing in an effort to slow the spread of the illness. These measures have had a significant adverse impact upon many sectors of the economy, including non-essential retail commerce.

In response to these measures and for the protection of our employees and customers, we temporarily closed our dedicated stores, our manufacturing locations and many of our warehouses for several weeks during the second fiscal quarter of 2020. While as of May 30, 2020, we had reopened most of our stores and resumed manufacturing and shipping activities, the extended period of suspended operations has had a material adverse impact upon our results of operations for the three and six months ended May 30, 2020. In addition to operating losses resulting from severely reduced sales volumes, we also recorded charges for goodwill impairment (Note 6) as well as for the impairment of certain other long-lived assets (Note 9).

Whereas most state and local governments have begun to ease restrictions on commercial retail activity, it is possible that a resurgence in COVID-19 cases could prompt a return to tighter restrictions in certain areas of the county. Furthermore, the economic recession brought on by the pandemic may have a continuing adverse impact on consumer demand for our products. Therefore, significant uncertainty remains regarding the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 outbreak upon our financial condition and future results of operations, as well as upon the significant estimates and assumptions we utilize in reporting certain assets and liabilities.