By Tom Murphy
Rocky Mount Telegram
Farmers Furniture will open a store in the former


Wal-Mart location at Sutters Creek shopping center.

Gary Howell, who has been with Dublin, Ga.-based Farmers Furniture for five years, will manage the store, located next to Tractor Supply Co.

The space to be occupied is being remodeled, Howell said. There have been a few challenges with obtaining permits from the city of Rocky Mount, but Farmers is on track to get those permits, he said.

“We should be opening up some time in late March,” Howell said. “Right now, there will be nine positions at the store.”

Farmers Furniture sells Ashley and Broyhill furniture, appliances, electronics, outdoor furniture, riding lawnmowers, air conditions and juvenile furniture, Howell said.

“We sell anything that goes into the home – including accessories like pictures, lamps and rugs.”

Farmers Furniture has more than 150 stores in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. The company has stores in Tarboro, Roanoke Rapids, Williamston, Scotland Neck, Washington, Kinston, Ahoskie, Sanford, Wallace, Clinton, Lumberton, Laurinburg, Fairmont, Red Springs and Dunn.

“We opened six North Carolina stores in a month, and we’ve had a presence in North Carolina since 2000,” Howell said. “Rocky Mount is a good location and a good market. We had an opportunity to go in the Wal-Mart building on U.S. 301 and took advantage of that opportunity.”

John Horne, Atlanta-based executive director of field operations for Farmers Furniture, said Rocky Mount is a hub location in Eastern North Carolina.

“We have a tendency to go to rural areas, and then work back into the hub,” Horne said. “We found a great opportunity in Rocky Mount, just jumped on it and took advantage of it.”

North Carolina is one of Farmers Furniture’s growth areas, Horne said.