Art Van Furniture will grand open a 38,000-square-foot showroom here, its first in the market and seventh in Indiana.

The store at 5476 E. Indiana Street is a franchise location owned by industry veteran Mike McCord. McCord was president and an owner of the former Top 100 company KHF Holdings, a Louisville, Ky.-based Ashley HomeStore licensee that was later acquired by HomeStore licensee Dufresne Spencer Group of Memphis, another Top 100 company.

McCord also has been a vice president of Ashley Furniture Inds., and after KHF, he owned Louisville Furniture Co., according to his LinkedIn profile page.

The new Art Van franchise in Village Commons Shopping Center will be in the completely remodeled space of a former Gander Mountain. The store features several of Art Van Furniture’s popular lines and departments, including Art Van PureSleep, Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines, Urban, Outlet, La-Z-Boy and Cindy Crawford Home.

The retailer will hold a ribbon cutting celebration from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday and follow Saturday, starting at 9 a.m., with festivities including a public store tour, music, refreshments, giveaways and more.

“We believe that shopping for furniture should be easy, enjoyable and inspiring, and that is the experience we are bringing to Evansville residents,” said Ron Boire, Art Van president and CEO.

“We hope to become their favorite destination when enhancing and reinventing their living spaces.”

With the opening, Art Van will have 27 Art Van Furniture franchise units and one stand-alone PureSleep franchise. Art Van, owned by private equity firm Thomas H. Lee Partners, has about 190 total locations in nine states operating under several retail banners including Art Van Furniture, Art Van PureSleep, Wolf Furniture and Levin Furniture.

(Source: Furniture Today)