Ashley Furniture store set to open next week

Construction is complete and furniture is being set up in the 45,000-square-foot store at 1715 E. Independence, according to Andrew Covington, who owns the location with his father, Robert. Covington and his uncle, Jim Spencer, also own 11 other Ashley stores in the South.

About 50 employees have been hired, Covington said, with plans to add a couple more.

Covington couldn’t disclose projected sales figures for 2008 but said the store’s showroom will feature more than $1.5 million worth of furniture at any given time.

While he doesn’t expect a rush of post-holiday shoppers, Covington hopes an in-store giveaway of $10,000 in furniture will draw crowds. Customers will be able to enter a drawing through Jan. 19, when one prize of $5,000 in furniture and two prizes of $2,500 in furniture will be awarded.

A ribbon-cutting event is scheduled for 11 a.m. Jan. 2.

The store’s construction cost was $3 million and the general contractor was Morelock-Ross Buildings Inc., according to previous Springfield Business Journal coverage.