Construction has started on the Missouri Furniture building on the corner of Huxel Drive and Highway 100 in Washington.
The nearly 50,000-square-foot retail store is expected to cost about $4 million to build, according to documents filed by contractor Sieve Contractors Inc. with Jamie Walters-Seamon at the city building department.
Missouri Furniture will share the location with an Ashley HomeStore, according to President Dave Faiferlick, who owns Missouri Furniture with his wife Karen Faiferlick. The Camdenton-based chain shares space with Ashley HomeStores at five of its seven Missouri locations, including in St. James, he said.
“We just kind of think Washington will be a good fit for us,” Faiferlick said. “It’s a good, quality sort of town.”
Fairferlick said the construction is being financed through Central Bank in Camdenton. Construction began this week and the store is expected to be open by Black Friday, Nov. 25.
Washington has nearly $30 million in unmet demand for furniture stores, according to figures shared by Sal Maniaci, the city’s economic and community development director. Using a company called Placer.ai to study demographics and income, the city develops reports that compare demand and supply. The most recent report said Washington has a furniture retail industry worth $9.51 million but demand is worth $38.16 million. Other area furniture stores include Bahr’s Furniture, Marshall Home and Big Lots in Washington and Union Furniture in Union.
“(Ashley) approached us with (Washington) and said, ‘Hey, would you consider this market?’ So we said, ‘Sure,’ and that was four years ago,” Faiferlick said. “So, it’s been a journey.”
Faiferlick said Missouri Furniture owns the Ashley licensing and operating agreement in Washington, and the two stores target different customers. Ashley markets to customers interested in its collections, while Missouri Furniture offers more customizable fabrics and made-in-Missouri pieces.
Founded in 1977 by Faiferlick’s father, Neil, in Camdenton, Missouri Furniture has since expanded into Jefferson City, Columbia, Sedalia, Kirksville and Ozark. It carries more than 40 brands of furniture, including Memphis, Missouri-based Oakwood Industries, which has lines of Amish-made bedroom and dining room furniture and upholstery. Missouri Furniture also carries appliances, filling a gap left by Sears in May, and Faiferlick said it may carry hot tubs.
About a dozen people will be employed at each store, he said.
