By SETH ROY<\/p>\n
NEWARK — It was only a matter of time before Ed Connell reopened a furniture store in Newark.<\/p>\n
“Ever since, all the Newark people who have come to Mount Vernon have begged us to come back,” said Connell, who closed his original store in 1991.<\/p>\n
Connell’s Furniture & Mattresses, in its 50th year, opened a new, 30,000-square-foot store Saturday at 1600 N. 21st St. A ribbon-cutting is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Sept. 12.
\n“We’ve got to sell a lot of La-Z-Boys to pay for it,” Connell said of the new location, in the former Big Bear grocery store site.
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\nThe business began with Connell’s father in 1957 in Mount Vernon and expanded to Newark in the late 1970s, Connell said.<\/p>\n
Now, with his son as operations manager, Connell said it was time to come back to Newark, which has one other major traditional furniture store, Sam Alban’s.<\/p>\n
The still-strong customer base in the city brought the company back after it decided to expand.<\/p>\n
“We’re kind of like one of those good little restaurants you go to,” Connell said. “You want to spread the word.”<\/p>\n
With furniture sales declining and stores becoming more specialized, the expansion of an independently owned, all-purpose furniture story might seem unlikely.<\/p>\n
Jerry Epperson, an industry analyst from Mann, Armistad & Epperson in Virginia, said the focus is shifting.<\/p>\n
“The number of stores has changed very little,” he said.<\/p>\n
In 10 years, furniture stores have decreased from 40,600 to about 38,000, but that doesn’t reflect the true change, Epperson said.<\/p>\n
In terms of numbers, a 200,000-square-foot store that carries all types of furniture counts the same as a 4,000-square-foot bedroom store.<\/p>\n
The number of people buying online or from general department stores, such as Wal-Mart, is increasing, Epperson said.<\/p>\n
But Connell thinks his store will do well in Newark, in large part because of the company’s commitment to customer service.<\/p>\n
“The No Oops is one of the biggest things that sets us apart,” he said, describing the store’s return policy.<\/p>\n
“(Usually) you’re kind of stuck with your mistake for a long time,” Connell said of furniture shopping. “When we can eliminate that, fewer customers will do more business with you.”<\/p>\n
To help avoid a return situation, Connell said the store provides a complimentary in-home designer service for customers.<\/p>\n
“We should be the expert at it,” he said. “We should know what we’re doing.”<\/p>\n
Seth Roy can be reached at (740) 328-8547 orsroy@newarkadvocate.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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