by Retailer’s rebrand, category expansion create a destination for home furnishings in new and existing markets
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Over the past several years, as companies have tried to stay afloat in an exceedingly competitive marketplace, an unfortunate trend of closures and consolidations has emerged. One notable casualty was Badcock Home Furniture & More, formerly based in Mulberry, Florida, which filed for bankruptcy in June 2024.
Subsequently, the Player family, which owns the Charlotte, North Carolina-based retailer Queen City Homestore (formerly Queen City Audio Video & Appliances), acquired some of Badcock’s retail locations and hired some former employees.
Now, with a new name and categories expanded from solely appliances to include home furnishings, Queen City Homestore is not only bucking the downward trend but is also growing. “We’re very bullish on our expectations for calendar ’26,” said David Horvath, category manager, furniture, at Queen City Homestore.
In 2025, Queen City Homestore opened nine new stores in other parts of North Carolina and, for the first time, expanded into South Carolina.
“Not only are we in the midst of a rebrand here in Charlotte, where the stores have been for 70 years, but we’re in the midst of growing and building a brand in these new markets,” Horvath said.
That’s good news for the retail industry, especially one where the term “retail apocalypse” — referring to the phenomenon of online shopping eroding brick and mortar — has been a buzzword.
“It’s been an exciting time,” said Horvath. “A lot of people in the industry are holding back. They’re waiting to see how everything shakes out. We’re pushing forward as much as we can, and we’re really excited about the outlook for 2026.”
In late February, Queen City Homestore will open its 10th new store in Aberdeen, North Carolina, an area about 100 miles southeast of Charlotte, which Horvath refers to as “affluent.” The newest store will bring the retailer’s total locations to 16. Of the building’s 30,000 square feet of space, 25,000 square feet will be dedicated to a showroom, featuring the retailer’s promotional midrange furniture and mattress assortment, as well as all of Queen City Homestore’s appliance offerings.
While the retail market is showing signs of strengthening, Horvath attributes Queen City Homestore’s success to several factors. One is the boom in people moving to North Carolina. According to Michael Cline, the demographer for the state of North Carolina, the state’s population is expected to surpass Georgia and Ohio to become the seventh most populated state by the early 2030s. Naturally, housing demand is high.
According to Horvath, open-concept floor plans are popular, and shoppers are seeking furniture that is cohesive between the living room and dining room. “It’s a living room world right now,” Horvath said. Horvath also says that, because of the bedding industry downturn, bedroom furniture has not performed as well as other categories, but is starting to pick up as people buy new mattresses and redecorate their bedrooms.
Horvath also credits the retailer’s success to excellent service: “It’s the legacy of service that the Player family started over 70 years ago. We hear all the time that this is a second-generation purchase. ‘My mom and dad bought here,’ or ‘My grandma and grandpa bought here.’ And people always come in and tell us, ‘The reason we came back to you as opposed to a big-box guy is how you treated us.’ The guest experience is so key.”
Horvath noted that four retail locations will remain solely dedicated to appliances and electronics because of space constraints, but the retailer is also in the process of converting some stores to include their full furniture assortment. Although 2026 is in its nascent stages, Horvath says that advertising and marketing will be key for the company to promote brand awareness this year.
“You’ll see some very aggressive promotions in appliances, furniture and mattresses,” he said.
Horvath said that although Queen City Homestore is expanding, it’s essential to not lose sight of what has made them successful.
“We’re very cognizant in opening all of these stores to not lose that guest experience,” Horvath added. “You can go to a Best Buy or a Home Depot, but we know they’re not going to provide the same level of service. From store interaction to final-mile delivery, we feel that our experience is one of the best in the business.”
