Mathis Bros. to open first Ashley Furniture HomeStores in Oklahoma

Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, November 6, 2012

Bill Mathis, left, and Larry Mathis, right, with Ashley Furniture’s Todd Wanek. Mathis Bros. Furniture plans to open seven Ashley Furniture HomeStores in Oklahoma, the first in the state.

OKLAHOMA CITY — The owners of Top 100 company Mathis Bros. Furniture say they plan to open seven Ashley Furniture HomeStores in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Okla., metro areas.

Owners Bill and Larry Mathis will open their first 30,000-square-foot HomeStore — the first Ashley store in the state — in February in Owasso, Okla. The leased former Linens 'n Things location is in the northern Tulsa area.

Three others will open later next year in Norman, Tulsa Hills, and Oklahoma City, said Calvin Worth, Mathis Bros. general manager. He did not disclose the timeline for three additional future stores, for which Mathis has yet to secure real estate, but said they'll likely open in 2014 or 2015 — hopefully 2014.

Larry Mathis said in a press release that Mathis Bros. believes the HomeStore concept "provides an attractive business proposition that will generate additional opportunities for our company to provide complete home furnishings solutions to new customers."

He added, "It is our commitment to provide our customers a one-stop destination for the largest selection of quality home furnishings at the lowest prices every day, and strive to enrich, fulfill and reward our employees and the communities we live in."

Family-owned Mathis Bros. is No. 21 on Furniture/Today's Top 100 with estimated furniture, bedding and accessories sales last year of $344.7 million, up 7.5% from 2010. This year's total sales will exceed $400 million, the company said.

The company operates eight stores in Oklahoma and California with products ranging from promotional to high-end, under the Mathis Bros., Factory Direct Furniture & Beds, Rooms Today and Mathis Village names.

Ashley is the retailer's largest supplier, Worth said.

All seven of the planned Ashley Furniture HomeStores will feature bedroom, dining room, upholstery, motion upholstery, leather, occasional tables, entertainment centers, home office, youth bedroom, recliners, mattresses, lamps and accessories.

The youth department will include a Fun Zone where children can play with toys, coloring books and video games as well as try out desks, bunk beds and other furniture.