JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Ashley Furniture HomeStores licensee Howard Fineman opened his third area showroom recently in Orange Park, Fla., with a charity-tied event that drew more consumers than could fit comfortably in the store and set the stage for what he expects will be a big gain in market share.
The 35,000-square-foot store on Blanding Boulevard represents about a $1.5 million investment for the retailer and is expected to boost overall annual sales to the $30 million to $35 million range.
The initial consumer response was dramatic, as some 700 people came for the launch and local kickoff of Ashley Furniture HomeStores' A Hope to Dream charity mission, which aims to provide twin mattress, box springs and frames to children in need.
"In fact, due to the size of the crowd, we moved everyone out of the showroom and held the event outside in the parking lot, which ended up providing a great backdrop for the event," Fineman said.
The event held special meaning to the HomeStores' operator in that it honored Marsha Pozin - wife of the retailer's Chief Financial Officer Jan Pozin - who passed away in January after a lengthy battle with cancer.
"Marsha was a Jacksonville native and a true ‘Champion for Children,' and I believe she took great joy in being involved with getting the program ready for launch here," Fineman said in an e-mail.
Among other things, Pozin helped with the quote that the Ashley HomeStores here will include on personalized cards that go out with donated mattresses: "Never lose hope ... When the sun goes down, the stars come out. And while so many dreams may seem impossible at first, when we believe in them, and summon the will, they will soon become inevitable. A Hope to Dream."
For every mattress purchased at the three locations, the retailer is donating $5 to the Hope to Dream fund with the goal of providing 200 or more beds to local children during its first year of participation, Fineman said.
Indeed, bedding gets a lot of play in the new HomeStore with more than 50 models carried from suppliers Sealy - including Sealy Posturepedic and Embody by Sealy - Stearns & Foster, Tempur-Pedic and AshleySleep.
The store also announced a partnership with the USO in support of military families. During the opening celebration, the retailer presented a $2,000 check to the USO as well as a $5,000 check to A Hope to Dream.
