by The opening of the 37,340-square-foot store marked the first of 6 locations planned for the state
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Hundreds of consumers from all over the Triad turned out yesterday to attend the grand opening of Bob’s Discount Furniture’s newest store, located at 1020 Hanes Mall Blvd. here.
The opening of the 37,340-square-foot store marked the first of six stores planned for North Carolina and brings the total store count for the retailer, ranked No. 11 by Home News Now, to 201, according to Bill Barton, CEO of Bob’s. Earlier, Bob’s Discount Furniture also soft-opened locations in Fayetteville and Wilmington.
The grand opening of the Winston-Salem store coincided with a new partnership celebration with Joe Gibbs Racing and NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin, where Bob’s No. 11 race car new paint scheme was also unveiled. Both Joe Gibbs and Hamlin were on hand for a VIP autograph session.
Also part of the program were charitable check presentations to United Services Organization to benefit North Carolina and North Forsyth High School.
During the event, Home News Now spoke to CEO Bill Barton about the retailer’s expansion into North Carolina and beyond.
Barton said that in addition to the six stores set for North Carolina, the company plans to continue to open stores in the South. “Looking ahead, we have plans to focus on new territories in South Carolina and then further South,” Barton said, adding, “And we will also be opening a new distribution center for these stores.”
As of press time, the new North Carolina stores are being serviced by the company’s distribution center in Maryland, Barton said, adding that the plan will be a strategic but consistent rollout of stores with the goal of a national presence and a store count of more than 500.
“Right now, we are at 201 stores, and our goal is to have 209 stores operational by the end of the year,” Barton said.
He added that as the company expands its footprint across the nation, his merchandising team has a core lineup of products that one can find in all the stores but pays careful attention to clustering products to fit the preferences of specific regions of the country.
“Knowing that, we also cluster our mix between urban and suburban areas as well,” Barton explained, adding, “We really have a very scientific way of thinking about how we merchandise, especially as our footprint continues to grow across the country.”
Barton also talked about entering a market already served by the likes of Rooms To Go, Ashley, Ikea, Havertys, American Signature and Furnitureland South.
“Every one of those names are great retailers, and we have nothing but respect for them,” Barton said, adding, “But we have a formula that has worked since our founding 34 years ago. We are all about quality. We sell stylish furniture at everyday low prices. That means we have never run a sale, nor do we mark things up to mark them down. Our cafes serve ice cream, candy and cookies, and it is always free. We have no high-pressure salespeople, and we truly believe in giving back to the communities we serve, and we are here to enable and serve our guests who shop our stores and buy our products online,” he concluded.
