ApplianceSmart Opens St. Cloud, Minnesota Store; Affordable Appliances on Division Street

MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Appliance Recycling Centers of America, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARCI) today reported that the newly leased ApplianceSmart retail store in Waite Park, Minnesota, in the greater St. Cloud area, has officially opened as of Wednesday, November 9, 2011. The 24,000-square-foot building is located at 265 Division Street and will offer affordable appliances for value-conscious consumers.

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Established in Minnesota in 1998, ApplianceSmart has the latest in innovative appliances from major manufacturers, with hundreds of in-stock appliances at an incredible value. ApplianceSmart purchases appliances by the truckload directly from the manufacturer and provides great deals both in the St. Cloud store and on special orders, and on single appliances as well as sets. ApplianceSmart carries brand new appliances, as well as special-buy appliances such as last year's models, factory overruns and close-outs.

The ApplianceSmart sales force, comprised of local St. Cloud and greater Minnesota residents who are seasoned sales associates, aims to provide each buyer with the information required to select the appliance best suited for his or her needs.

Bradley Bremer, Vice President, Retail Operations, commented, "Having started our ApplianceSmart concept in Minnesota, which has grown to twenty locations across the nation, we are excited to open our store in the greater St. Cloud market. We believe that St. Cloud area residents will be very receptive to our value-added services such as free haul-away and recycling, multiple financing options and affordable appliances, which are supported by our knowledgeable staff."

ApplianceSmart is also the first independent retailer in the nation to become a partner in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) Program. As a RAD partner, ApplianceSmart properly recovers ozone-depleting chemicals from old refrigerators, freezers, window air conditioners, and dehumidifiers, allowing St. Cloud consumers to rest assured that their old appliances are properly recycled.

About ARCA and ApplianceSmart

ARCA (www.ARCAInc.com), one of the nation's largest recyclers of major household appliances for the energy conservation programs of electric utilities, currently provides services for more than 250 utilities in the U.S. and Canada. The Company is also the exclusive North American distributor for UNTHA Recycling Technology (URT), one of the world's leading manufacturers of technologically advanced refrigerator recycling systems and recycling facilities for electrical household appliances and electronic scrap. Through its ApplianceSmart operation (www.ApplianceSmart.com), ARCA also is one of the nation's leading retailers of special-buy household appliances, primarily those manufactured by General Electric, Electrolux and Whirlpool. These special-buy appliances, which include close-outs, factory overruns and discontinued models, typically are not integrated into the manufacturer's normal distribution channel. ApplianceSmart sells these new appliances at a discount to full retail, offers a 100% money-back guarantee and provides warranties on parts and labor. ApplianceSmart now currently operates 20 stores: six in the Minneapolis/St. Paul market; one in the Rochester, Minn., market; one in the St. Cloud, Minn., market; four in the Columbus, Ohio, market; six in the Atlanta market; and two in San Antonio, Texas.

SOURCE Appliance Recycling Centers of America, Inc.