Furniture superstore to open in Vernon Hills before Labor Day
BY JOHN ROSZKOWSKI jroszkowski@pioneerlocal.com August 8, 2011 1:42PM
Gary Steinhafel shows his enthusiasm over the opening of the new Steinhafels Furniture store in Vernon Hills before Labor Day weekend. | Michelle LaVigne~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: August 11, 2011 3:54AM
In what is certain to be a boost to the local economy, Steinhafels will open its new 101,000-square-foot superstore in Vernon Hills later this month.
Steinhafels, Wisconsin’s leading furniture and mattress retailer, will open the new store in the former EXPO Design Center, 569 N. Milwaukee Ave., on Aug. 27, according to company president and co-owner Gary Steinhafel. He said it will be the first Steinhafels location in Illinois.
Steinhafel said the company has had a superstore in Kenosha since 1995 and has been marketing in the Lake County area for the past 15 years.
“Entering Lake County and specifically Vernon Hills strategically made a lot of sense for us,” he said.
Steinhafels is headquartered in Waukesha and has 15 locations throughout Wisconsin. The new store will employ more than 100 full- and part-time employees and will generate sales tax revenue for local government units. Steinhafel said the company believes the store could eventually generate more than $25 million in annual sales.
The interior of the new Vernon Hills store has many similar features that are popular at the Wisconsin stores, including a large selection of furniture, mattresses and home furnishings, a children’s play area in the store and a clearance center for discounted and overstocked items. Steinhafel said more than a dozen large windows and skylights have been added to enhance natural light in the building and the flooring incorporates wood and floral-patterned tile to make the store feels like a home environment for shoppers.
Despite the fact many other area furniture retailers have gone out of business or downsized operations, Steinhafel sees a bright future in the Vernon Hills market.
“The economy certainly has taken its toll on retailers throughout the area and country but opportunity exists by the fact that customers choose where they want to do business on a daily basis,” he said.
Steinhafel said the Vernon Hills store is planning a soft opening on Aug. 27 and will begin major marketing efforts for the Labor Day weekend. He said an official grand opening celebration will likely be held sometime after Labor Day.
Store hours will be Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Saturdays, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information about the new Steinhafels, call (866) 351-4600 or visit www.steinhafels.com.
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