Hill Country opening Ashley store in Tacoma, Wash.

Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, June 22, 2012

TACOMA, Wash. — Hill Country Holdings will grand open its newest Ashley Furniture HomeStore here June 30.

The New Braunfels, Texas-based Top 100 company will open the 30,000-square-foot showroom at South 38th Street, near the Tacoma Mall. It's the retailer's first Tacoma store and fourth in the greater Seattle-Tacoma area.

As part of the grand opening festivities, the HomeStore partnered with the local Family Renewal Shelter and will donate 25 mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and comforters to families in need.

The store also is giving the first 100 families attending the grand opening $100 gift certificates, and all visitors will be eligible to win hourly giveaways including sofas, rugs and mattresses. Customers who make purchases on grand opening day will be entered in a drawing for a chance to receive full credit for the purchase.

The company declined to disclose its investment or sales projections for the new stores. Hill Country President Gary Seals said overall, the chain is experiencing double-digit sales increases this year.

Hill County is No 35 on Furniture/Today's Top 100 with 21 stores and estimated furniture, bedding and accessories sales of $196.6 million in 2011, up more than 17% from the previous year.

In addition to the Seattle area, the retailer operates Ashley Furniture HomeStores in Houston, San Antonio, Austin, McAllen and Brownsville, Texas.

In a release, Seals said Hill Country "is proud to contribute to the growth of the city of Tacoma, and is looking forward to bringing jobs to the local economy while expanding retail business in the area.

"We have had our eye on the Tacoma market for five years, and we're thrilled that the right opportunity for a location has finally opened up."