Wolf sets 8th store in York
Chain also expanding Md. unit, Pa. warehouse
By Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, October 7, 2001
York, Pa. — Wolf Furniture will open a 60,000-square-foot store here in January, further penetrating the greater Harrisburg market as part of a larger expansion plan.
The Pennsylvania and Maryland retailer is investing more than $3 million in the store — its eighth unit — converting a former Hechinger's building on Northern Way into a new showroom with furniture displayed largely by lifestyle, said President Doug Wolf.
While the layout has not been finalized, Wolf said this could be the company's first store without manufacturers' galleries. There are no plans to dismantle galleries at existing stores, but new stores will lean toward lifestyle displays, he said.
Wolf opened a store in Harrisburg, its largest market, in 1999 and consumer response has been so strong that opening in York was "an easy decision," Wolf said.
"It's part of the Harrisburg/ Lancaster advertising market, so we're already promoting and delivering into that area," he said.
Among the key suppliers for the primarily midpriced store will be Broyhill, Pennsylvania House, Vaughan, Klaussner, La-Z-Boy and Morgan Stewart, the latter a relatively new upholstery resource.
Despite the move away from galleries, Wolf expects to have sizable displays from all key suppliers. The store also will feature a wide selection of bedding from Sealy and Kingsdown.
In York, the retailer will continue to emphasize accessories, purchased to coordinate with the rest of the lineup.
"Our York store has been designed with customers in mind," said Gene Stoltz, vice president of merchandise, noting furniture will be displayed in traditional, contemporary and other lifestyles.
Other expansion plans include the addition of 10,000 square feet of showroom space at the Frederick, Md., unit, for a solid-wood display featuring Pennsylvania House and Kincaid galleries.
And in Bellwood, Pa., Wolf will be doubling the capacity of its main warehouse and distribution center to 142,000 square feet with 40-foot ceilings and high-bay warehouse storage. Three other auxiliary warehouses will close when the expanded distribution center comes on line this winter, Wolf said.
"With this state-of-the-art facility, along with our anticipated store growth, we will be able to take advantage of more special purchases." Stoltz said.
At next week's High Point market, "We'll be exploring several new vendors along with firming up growth plans with current suppliers," he added.
Wolf said the three projects involve an investment of more than $6.5 million. He expects annual sales will climb to the $50 million range within a year of completion. Sales last year were about $41 million, and Wolf expects sales this year to be between $43 million and $46 million.
He said sales the weekend after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were off 50% from the year before, but have since recovered nicely.
The company is eyeing a third location for the Harrisburg/Lancaster/York area next year, but has yet to finalize that project.
| A rendering of the York store, due to open in January. |
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