<PAGE>

   As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 3, 1999
                                                      Registration No. _________



                                  FORM S-8

            REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933



                             BUSH INDUSTRIES, INC.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



            Delaware                                16-0837346
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of         (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
incorporation or organization)



  One Mason Drive, Jamestown, New York                        14702
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                    (Zip Code)



                     Bush Industries, Inc. 1995 Stock Plan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           (Full title of the plan)


                   Robert L. Ayres, Chief Financial Officer,
                 One Mason Drive, Jamestown, New York 14702
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    (Name and address of agent for service)



                                (716) 665-2000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
<PAGE>

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                  Proposed
                                                  maximum               Proposed
                                               offering price           maximum
  Title of securities      Amount to be         per unit (1)       aggregate offering              Amount of
  to be registered         registered (1)          share                price (1)             registration fee (1)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                        <C>                 <C>                 <C>                        <C>
Class A Common               375,000(2)           $14.6875              $5,507,813                     $1,669.03
Stock ($.10 par                  shares            -------               ---------                      --------
value)


TOTAL                                                                   $5,507,813                     $1,669.03
                                                                         =========                      ========
</TABLE>

(1)  Pursuant to Rule 416(c), promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as
     amended, this Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate amount of
     securities to be offered or sold as a result of any adjustments from stock
     splits, stock dividends or similar events.

(2)  Represents shares of Class A Common Stock of Bush Industries, Inc. (the
     "Registrant"), issuable upon the grant of stock awards under the
     Registrant's 1995 Stock Plan.

                                       i
<PAGE>

                                    PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

     The document(s) containing the information specified in Part I of Form S-8
will be sent or given to participants in Bush Industries, Inc.'s 1995 Stock
Plan, as specified by Rule 428 (b) (1), promulgated by the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission"), under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act").

     Such document(s) are not being filed with the Commission, but constitute
(along with the documents incorporated by reference into the Registration
Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II hereof) a prospectus that meets the
requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

                                       1
<PAGE>

                                    PART II

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                          (Not Required in Prospectus)


ITEM 3.   INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

          The following documents filed by Registrant with the Commission are
          incorporated herein by reference.

          (a)  The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
               ended January 2, 1999.

          (b)  The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
               ended July 3, 1999.

          (c)  The description of the Registrant's Common Stock contained in
               Registration Statements filed under the Securities Exchange Act
               of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), including any amendment or report
               filed for the purpose of updating such description.

          In addition, all documents filed by the Registrant with the Commission
pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, after the
date of this Registration Statement and prior to the termination of the offering
shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement
and to be a part hereof from the date of the filing of such document with the
Commission.  Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference
herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of the
Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any
other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated
by reference herein modifies or superseded such statement.  Any statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded,
to constitute a part of the Registration Statement.


ITEM 4.   DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

          Not applicable.  The class of securities to be offered is registered
under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.


ITEM 5.   INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

          Not applicable.


ITEM 6.   INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

          In accordance with the provisions of the General Corporation Law of
the State of Delaware (the "Act"), Article VI of the Registrant's Bylaws
requires indemnification of Directors and Officers of the Company to the fullest
extent provided by Section 145 of the Act, and also provides that such rights to
indemnification are not exclusive of any other right to which Directors and
Officers may otherwise be entitled.

          In addition to the above-described provisions, Section 145 of the Act
contains provisions prescribing the extent to which directors and officers shall
or may be indemnified.  Section 145 of the Act permits a corporation, with
certain exceptions, to indemnify a present or former director against liability
if (i) he acted in good faith, and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in
or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and (ii) in the case of
any criminal proceeding, he had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was
unlawful.  A corporation may not indemnify a person in respect of a claim, issue
or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged liable to the
corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the
court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application
that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances
of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification or
such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

                                       2
<PAGE>

          Section 145 of the Act requires a corporation to indemnify a director
or officer in the defense of any proceeding to which he was a party against
expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him when he is successful in his
defense on the merits or otherwise.

          Further, the Registrant has adopted a charter provision pursuant to
Delaware law which purports to limit the liability of Directors for monetary
damages.


ITEM 7.   EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

          Not applicable.


ITEM 8.   EXHIBITS.

          The exhibits filed as part of this Registration Statement are as
follows:

          EXHIBIT
          NUMBER        DESCRIPTION
          -------       -----------

            5.1     --  Opinion of Akerman, Senterfitt & Eidson, P.A., as to the
                        legality of the securities being offered hereunder.

           10.1     --  Bush Industries, Inc. 1995 Stock Plan. (1)

           23.1     --  The consent of Akerman, Senterfitt & Eidson, P.A., is
                        included in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1 to the
                        Registration Statement.

           23.2     --  Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent auditors

                        (1)  Incorporated herein by reference to the
                        Registrant's Proxy Statement with respect to the
                        Registrant's Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on May
                        18, 1995.

ITEM 9.   UNDERTAKINGS.

          The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

          A.   (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

                    (i)   To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3)
               of the Securities Act.

                    (ii)  To reflect in the Prospectus any facts or events
               arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement
               (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
               individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
               in the information set forth in the Registration Statement; and

                    (iii) To include any material information with respect to
               the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
               Registration Statement or any material change to such information
               in the Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (1)(ii) do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed or furnished to the Commission
by the

                                       3
<PAGE>

Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

               (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

               (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

          B.  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

          C.  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act, and
is, therefore unenforceable in the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by; such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against
public policy and as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the
final adjudication of such issue.

                                       4
<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Jamestown, State of New York, on this 2nd day of
November, 1999.

                                    BUSH INDUSTRIES, INC.
                                    ------------------------------------------
                                    Registrant


                                    By: /s/    Paul S. Bush
                                       ---------------------------------------
                                       Paul S. Bush, Chairman of the Board of
                                       Directors, President and Chief Executive
                                       Officer

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.


Signature                          Title                             Date
---------                          -----                             ----


/s/ Paul S. Bush         Chairman of the Board of Directors,    November 2, 1999
----------------------   President and Chief Executive Officer
Paul S. Bush


/s/ Robert L. Ayres      Executive Vice President, Chief        November 2, 1999
----------------------   Operating Officer, Chief Financial
Robert L. Ayres          Officer and Director


/s/ Lewis H. Aronson     Senior Vice President of               November 2, 1999
----------------------   Operations and Director
Lewis H. Aronson


/s/ Douglas S. Bush      Vice President of Merchandising        November 2, 1999
----------------------   and Director
Douglas S. Bush


/s/ Gregory P. Bush      Vice President of Furniture Research   November 2, 1999
----------------------   and Development and Advanced Systems
Gregory P. Bush          Technology and Director


/s/ Donald F. Hauck      Senior Vice President and Director     November 2, 1999
----------------------
Donald F. Hauck


/s/ David G. Messinger   Senior Vice President of Sales and     November 2, 1999
----------------------   Marketing and Director
David G. Messinger

                                       5
<PAGE>

/s/ Paul A. Benke        Director                              November 2, 1999
----------------------
Paul A. Benke


/s/ Jerald D. Bidlack    Director                              November 2, 1999
----------------------
Jerald D. Bidlack


/s/ Robert E. Hallagan   Director                              November 2, 1999
----------------------
Robert E. Hallagan


/s/ David G. Dawson      Director                              November 2, 1999
----------------------
David G. Dawson

                                       6
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 16055}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "BUSH INDUSTRIES INC", "cik": "0000758604", "assigned-sic": "2511", "irs-number": "160837346", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0102"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-90233", "film-number": "99740279"}, "business-address": {"street1": "ONE MASON DR", "street2": "P O BOX 460", "city": "JAMESTOWN", "state": "NY", "zip": "14702-0480", "phone": "7166652000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "ONE MASON DR", "street2": "PO BOX 460", "city": "JAMESTOWN", "state": "NY", "zip": "14702"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 3, 1999
                                                      Registration No. _________

                                  FORM S-8

            REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                             BUSH INDUSTRIES, INC.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

            Delaware                                16-0837346
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of         (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
incorporation or organization)

  One Mason Drive, Jamestown, New York                        14702
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                    (Zip Code)

                     Bush Industries, Inc. 1995 Stock Plan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           (Full title of the plan)

                   Robert L. Ayres, Chief Financial Officer,
                 One Mason Drive, Jamestown, New York 14702
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    (Name and address of agent for service)

                                (716) 665-2000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                  Proposed
                                                  maximum               Proposed
                                               offering price           maximum
  Title of securities      Amount to be         per unit (1)       aggregate offering              Amount of
  to be registered         registered (1)          share                price (1)             registration fee (1)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class A Common               375,000(2)           $14.6875              $5,507,813                     $1,669.03
Stock ($.10 par                  shares            -------               ---------                      --------
value)

TOTAL                                                                   $5,507,813                     $1,669.03
                                                                         =========                      ========
(1)  Pursuant to Rule 416(c), promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as
     amended, this Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate amount of
     securities to be offered or sold as a result of any adjustments from stock
     splits, stock dividends or similar events.

(2)  Represents shares of Class A Common Stock of Bush Industries, Inc. (the
     "Registrant"), issuable upon the grant of stock awards under the
     Registrant's 1995 Stock Plan.

                                       i
PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

     The document(s) containing the information specified in Part I of Form S-8
will be sent or given to participants in Bush Industries, Inc.'s 1995 Stock
Plan, as specified by Rule 428 (b) (1), promulgated by the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission"), under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act").

     Such document(s) are not being filed with the Commission, but constitute
(along with the documents incorporated by reference into the Registration
Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II hereof) a prospectus that meets the
requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

                                       1
PART II

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                          (Not Required in Prospectus)

ITEM 3.   INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

          The following documents filed by Registrant with the Commission are
          incorporated herein by reference.

          (a)  The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
               ended January 2, 1999.

          (b)  The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
               ended July 3, 1999.

          (c)  The description of the Registrant's Common Stock contained in
               Registration Statements filed under the Securities Exchange Act
               of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), including any amendment or report
               filed for the purpose of updating such description.

          In addition, all documents filed by the Registrant with the Commission
pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, after the
date of this Registration Statement and prior to the termination of the offering
shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement
and to be a part hereof from the date of the filing of such document with the
Commission.  Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference
herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of the
Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any
other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated
by reference herein modifies or superseded such statement.  Any statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded,
to constitute a part of the Registration Statement.

ITEM 4.   DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

          Not applicable.  The class of securities to be offered is registered
under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.

ITEM 5.   INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

          Not applicable.

ITEM 6.   INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

          In accordance with the provisions of the General Corporation Law of
the State of Delaware (the "Act"), Article VI of the Registrant's Bylaws
requires indemnification of Directors and Officers of the Company to the fullest
extent provided by Section 145 of the Act, and also provides that such rights to
indemnification are not exclusive of any other right to which Directors and
Officers may otherwise be entitled.

          In addition to the above-described provisions, Section 145 of the Act
contains provisions prescribing the extent to which directors and officers shall
or may be indemnified.  Section 145 of the Act permits a corporation, with
certain exceptions, to indemnify a present or former director against liability
if (i) he acted in good faith, and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in
or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and (ii) in the case of
any criminal proceeding, he had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was
unlawful.  A corporation may not indemnify a person in respect of a claim, issue
or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged liable to the
corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the
court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application
that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances
of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification or
such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

                                       2
Section 145 of the Act requires a corporation to indemnify a director
or officer in the defense of any proceeding to which he was a party against
expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him when he is successful in his
defense on the merits or otherwise.

          Further, the Registrant has adopted a charter provision pursuant to
Delaware law which purports to limit the liability of Directors for monetary
damages.

ITEM 7.   EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

          Not applicable.

ITEM 8.   EXHIBITS.

          The exhibits filed as part of this Registration Statement are as
follows:

          EXHIBIT
          NUMBER        DESCRIPTION
          -------       -----------

            5.1     --  Opinion of Akerman, Senterfitt & Eidson, P.A., as to the
                        legality of the securities being offered hereunder.

           10.1     --  Bush Industries, Inc. 1995 Stock Plan. (1)

           23.1     --  The consent of Akerman, Senterfitt & Eidson, P.A., is
                        included in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1 to the
                        Registration Statement.

           23.2     --  Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent auditors

                        (1)  Incorporated herein by reference to the
                        Registrant's Proxy Statement with respect to the
                        Registrant's Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on May
                        18, 1995.

ITEM 9.   UNDERTAKINGS.

          The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

          A.   (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

                    (i)   To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3)
               of the Securities Act.

                    (ii)  To reflect in the Prospectus any facts or events
               arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement
               (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
               individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
               in the information set forth in the Registration Statement; and

                    (iii) To include any material information with respect to
               the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
               Registration Statement or any material change to such information
               in the Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (1)(ii) do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed or furnished to the Commission
by the

                                       3
Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

               (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

               (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

          B.  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

          C.  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act, and
is, therefore unenforceable in the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by; such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against
public policy and as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the
final adjudication of such issue.

                                       4
SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Jamestown, State of New York, on this 2nd day of
November, 1999.

                                    BUSH INDUSTRIES, INC.
                                    ------------------------------------------
                                    Registrant

                                    By: /s/    Paul S. Bush
                                       ---------------------------------------
                                       Paul S. Bush, Chairman of the Board of
                                       Directors, President and Chief Executive
                                       Officer

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.

Signature                          Title                             Date
---------                          -----                             ----

/s/ Paul S. Bush         Chairman of the Board of Directors,    November 2, 1999
----------------------   President and Chief Executive Officer
Paul S. Bush

/s/ Robert L. Ayres      Executive Vice President, Chief        November 2, 1999
----------------------   Operating Officer, Chief Financial
Robert L. Ayres          Officer and Director

/s/ Lewis H. Aronson     Senior Vice President of               November 2, 1999
----------------------   Operations and Director
Lewis H. Aronson

/s/ Douglas S. Bush      Vice President of Merchandising        November 2, 1999
----------------------   and Director
Douglas S. Bush

/s/ Gregory P. Bush      Vice President of Furniture Research   November 2, 1999
----------------------   and Development and Advanced Systems
Gregory P. Bush          Technology and Director

/s/ Donald F. Hauck      Senior Vice President and Director     November 2, 1999
----------------------
Donald F. Hauck

/s/ David G. Messinger   Senior Vice President of Sales and     November 2, 1999
----------------------   Marketing and Director
David G. Messinger

                                       5
/s/ Paul A. Benke        Director                              November 2, 1999
----------------------
Paul A. Benke

/s/ Jerald D. Bidlack    Director                              November 2, 1999
----------------------
Jerald D. Bidlack

/s/ Robert E. Hallagan   Director                              November 2, 1999
----------------------
Robert E. Hallagan

/s/ David G. Dawson      Director                              November 2, 1999
----------------------
David G. Dawson

                                       6