Art Van Furniture has signed an agreement with Erickson Appliance & Furniture for a new franchise store in Sault Sainte Marie, as the Top 100 company continues to expand its presence.

The new store will be called Art Van Furniture & Erickson Appliance, according to a release.

"The Erickson family possesses over 45 years of retail expertise in this region, and partnering with Art Van Furniture adds up to almost a century of offering the finest products and outstanding customer service," said Art Van Elslander, founder and chairman of Art Van, said in the release.

With the franchise arrangement, Art Van will be working with three generations of the Erickson family, including founders Keith and Joanne Erickson and their sons Don and Tom.

Erickson recently purchased Shunk Furniture in this Upper Peninsula Michigan market and will use the location at Interstate 75 Business Spur for the new store.

Renovation work begins this month on the 24,000-square-foot showroom and warehouses, and the new store is slated to open on or before Nov. 1. Among other things, it will feature and Art Van PureSleep bedding department and clearance merchandise.

A dozen jobs will be created, the companies said.