Furniture Chain Opens Two Stores Heilig-Meyers Takes Over Former Self Service Locations

The nation’s largest home furnishings chain, Heilig-Meyers Furniture, officially opens its doors in Spokane today.

The Richmond, Va., company bought Spokane-based Self Service Furniture for $35 million in October as part of a nationwide expansion spree. Self Service’s 23 stores, in Washington, Idaho, Montana, California and Oregon, brought Heilig-Meyers’ total to 800 stores nationwide.

The two Spokane stores are at 5415 E. Sprague and 7520 N. Division. Other nearby locations are in Yakima, Kennewick and Walla Walla.

Heilig-Meyers officials said they bought Self Service because they wanted to expand into the Northwest by acquiring a chain with a solid reputation.

“One of our strategies is to acquire well-run furniture chains that operate in small communities and have a loyal customer base. We’ve found that in our acquisition of Self Service,” said Troy Peery, president and chief operating officer of Heilig-Meyers, in a statement.

Aside from the new name, some changes customers might notice are a more decorated, accessorized look and the addition of full lines of jewelry, appliances and electronics.

“It’s more of a full shopping store, catering to every room in the house,” said Bill Brooks, manager of the North Division store.

Heilig-Meyers stores are laid out in room-style settings, giving customers ideas about how to decorate their homes, said Doug Kays, regional vice president.

“For people who aren’t keen on decorating themselves, they can literally come in and buy a ‘look,”’ Kays said.

The stores also will have an in-house credit program which Kays said will give customers more payment options.

“It’ll be more flexible approval and more flexible monthly payments,” Kays said.

Though both stores are open and fully stocked, customers may find that the 90,000-square-foot East Sprague store looks incomplete, with its temporary sign. That’s because Home Depot, which is building a new store next door, wants to buy Heilig-Meyers’ site in order to increase visibility on Sprague.

The two companies still are negotiating, and if the deal goes through, Home Depot will build Heilig-Meyers a smaller, 50,000-squarefoot store on the Home Depot lot.

“If the Home Depot deal goes through, it would take us a year to have a new facility,” Kays said.

Heilig-Meyers also is considering building a 300,000-square-foot distribution center in Spokane to supply its regional stores.

Heilig-Meyers is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Heilig-Meyers Co. which reported sales of $1.4 billion in 1996. The company went public in 1972 and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

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