Art Van Furniture held a ribbon cutting for its 183,000-square-foot distribution center here Monday as it prepares to enter the Chicago market with six stores over the next several months.

The distribution center on 115th Street will employ 48 people, according to a release, and "brings us one step closer to inviting customers into our retail stores in and around the Windy City," said Steve Caprario, vice president of distribution.

The first home delivery will be made July 15. The Warren, Mich.-based Top 100 company is holding a ribbon cutting and "Motown style" opening party at its first store in the market in Orland Park. Ill., July 18.

Other stores are slated to open in Ford City-Chicago, Batavia, Bolingbrook; Elston Avenue-Chicago, and Merrillville-Hobart, Ind., and the retailer will create 600 jobs in the state in the process, it said.