Betting Big On Butterfield! Art Van Furniture Investing $13 Million In Downers Grove To Build Largest Furniture Store In Chain's 55 Year History
Retailer's rapid $50 million, two year expansion into market to include 11 stores, 700 jobs by mid-2016
WARREN, Mich., July 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- In less than two years, Art Van Furniture has firmly cemented its furniture footprint in Chicagoland, becoming the market's largest regional furniture chain. On August 1, in the Village of Downers Grove, the Midwest's No. 1 furniture and mattress retailer opens its eighth and largest location in the 55 year history of the 92 store chain. Art Van Furniture's strategic growth trajectory throughout Chicago is on the fast track, and is being executed with passion and precision.
The spacious 112,000 square foot, two-story Downers Grove venue (1021 Butterfield Road) is located in the former Home Depot Expo Center. The $13 million renovation includes a stunning, contemporary stone exterior and 12,000 square feet of windows. The store's towering main entrance will feature a cascading fiber optic light shower installation by world-renowned British artist and lighting designer, Bruce Munro. Another interior space will showcase flickering lights mimicking floating fireworks. Inviting intimate vignettes with drop ceilings, arched openings, fireplaces and windows will recreate the ambiance of home, while showcasing Art Van Furniture's signature Lifestyle Collection, AV Modern, Art Van Urban and Thread & Feather galleries. Guests will also be able to shop exclusive national brands like Stanley Furniture, which is not sold in other Art Van Furniture markets. The upper level will house Art Van PureSleep, bedroom and dining room sets, seasonal product lines, and name brands including Natuzzi and Motion Furniture, as well as Cafe Fifty-Nine, a first for the company, where guests can relax and recharge with complimentary refreshments.
Art Van Furniture in Downers Grove will also mark the Chicago debut of Scott Shuptrine Interiors, a luxury home furnishings gallery. Known among discerning guests for its premium furniture collections and complimentary in-home and on-site interior design services, the 10,000 square foot Scott Shuptrine Interiors will have coved ceilings, freestanding fireplaces, wood beams, concrete and wood floors, and separate interior and exterior entrances.
"My excitement has multiplied a thousand-fold from the moment we conceptualized our Downers Grove store," said Art Van Elslander, founder and chairman of Art Van Furniture. "We are creating an extraordinary environment; a home furnishings feast for the senses in this vibrant community. It epitomizes Art Van Furniture's long term commitment to Chicagoland, and our desire to be the top choice among guests when creating the home of their dreams."
No other furniture retailer has invested as much money or opened as many stores in recent years in Chicagoland. With the addition of its store in Downers Grove, Art Van Furniture's $50 million investment in the market has resulted in eight locations in Batavia, Bedford Park, Chicago (Logan Square), Naperville, Orland Park, Woodridge and Merrillville, Indiana since 2013. The retailer plans to open three more stores by March 2016 in Glendale Heights, Algonquin and Schaumburg. These 11 stores will create an estimated 700 new jobs with some of the region's best pay structures, benefit packages, and training programs. Art Van Furniture plays an integral role in the communities it serves through its philanthropic Art Van Charity Challenge campaign, and other charitable endeavors.
Before opening to the public, Art Van Furniture will host an official ribbon cutting ceremony and private grand opening gala in Downers Grove on July 30 for 1,000 VIP guests featuring a live performance by Chicago's own Grammy Award-winning recording artist and Academy Award-winning actress, Jennifer Hudson.
For more information, visit artvan.com.
About Art Van Furniture
Art Van Furniture is the Midwest's largest furniture retailer and America's largest independent furniture retailer. The company operates 92 stores throughout Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana, including freestanding Art Van PureSleep mattress stores, Art Van Flooring stores, and Art Van Furniture franchise locations as well as a full service e-commerce website. Founded in 1959, the company is family-owned and headquartered in Warren, Michigan. Visit artvan.com for more information.
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SOURCE Art Van Furniture
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