Wickes opens first Las Vegas store in style
Two more set for city
Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, July 30, 2007
LAS VEGAS — On the eve of the summer market, Wickes Furniture showed its dedication to this city with the grand opening the retailer’s first of three planned stores here.
The 38,000-square-foot showroom in a vast shopping and residential area on North Decatur Boulevard hosted industry guests and others Sunday night.
The store, which adheres to the Top 100 company’s latest architectural designs, includes a few special regional touches too, including a strong assortment of Southwest style upholstery.
“We’re on pace,” said Wickes President and CEO John Disa, adding that the store has done very well since its soft opening despite the soft housing market here and other economic pressures on consumers.
Disa said there is no doubt growth has slowed considerably in this market, but said Las Vegas remains stronger than many other areas of the country. He said home building, while slowing, continues at a good clip, and construction cranes can been seen all over the city.
“We’re here for the long term,” he said. “We’re excited about being in Las Vegas. It’s an exciting town for an exciting company."
A second store of more than 40,000 square feet is expected to open in late fall in Henderson, Nev., along Interstate 15, Disa said. The retailer is still working on a third store for the market, hoping to open it next year.
Disa would not disclose the retailer’s investment here or sales projections.
Now with 44 stores, Wickes has opened seven of 10 planned stores so far this year — this store and two each in greater Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, including the just opened store in Tanasbourne, Ore. In addition to the second Las Vegas unit, two more will open Chicagoland this year. The company is in the process of exiting Minneapolis, which will give it 42 stores at year’s end.
Ranked No. 19 on Furniture/Today’s Top 100, Wickes, owned by Sun Capital Partners, had estimated sales last year of $450 million at 39 stores.
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