England opens dedicated store
By Larry Thomas -- Furniture Today, January 18, 2004
BOARDMAN, Ohio — Upholstery producer England Inc. has opened its first freestanding, dedicated store here, the beginning of the La-Z-Boy company's licensed, dealer-owned retail network.
Stephanie England, vice president of marketing and store development, said eight to 10 England Custom Furniture Direct stores are planned for 2004.
The 12,000-square-foot store in eastern Ohio staged its grand opening earlier this month. It features an upholstery lineup from England, along with lamps and accessories from a variety of other vendors.
The second store, at about 10,000 square feet, is scheduled to open in late February in nearby Akron, England said.
The stores will offer consumers two-week delivery on virtually any fabric and frame. Two-week delivery has been available to England's furniture store dealers for years, and the company believes the program also will succeed in a proprietary distribution network, Stephanie England said.
La-Z-Boy officials have said a thriving network of dedicated stores is a key component in its growth strategy.
La-Z-Boy President Kurt Darrow praised the England stores — and the company's signature two-week delivery program — during a speech last week at a conference sponsored by Wachovia Securities.
"I think it's got great upside potential for us," Darrow said of the England store network.
The La-Z-Boy brand's dedicated store network, La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries, has 320 locations, while another La-Z-Boy unit, Kincaid Furniture, currently has 17 stores under its name.
Darrow said about 100 La-Z-Boy stores will be opened during the next five years, while six to seven Kincaid stores will be added annually during that period.
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