By Randy Tucker
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The first of four Ashley Furniture HomeStore franchises planned for Greater Cincinnati has opened in Springdale near Tri-County Mall, touting low factory-direct prices from the nation's third-largest furniture manufacturer.

Arcadia, Wis.-based Ashley Furniture Industries has sold upholstered, leather and hardwood furniture and accessories to leading furniture retailers for years.

But the new 72,000-square-foot furniture showroom, which opened last week off Interstate 275 at 11755 Commons Drive, is one of about 90 independently owned shops that sell Ashley Furniture products exclusively.

"Not only is this furniture beautiful, but the cost is much less than you might think," said Larry Klaben, president of Dayton-based Morris Furniture Co., which will run the Ashley Furniture franchises in Greater Cincinnati and already operates two in Dayton.

Marilyn Kenney, a Morris spokeswoman, said the company has been looking at the Cincinnati market for some time.

"The demographics indicated that this (Greater Cincinnati) would be a great market for us," Kenney said. "But the timing wasn't right until the real estate became available."

The new Ashley showroom is in a portion of the 300,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by Roberds Grand furniture store in the Beltway Plaza. Several other furniture retailers, including Sofa Express, Rhodes Furniture, Value City and Furniture Fair, surround it.

Kenney said the next Ashley Furniture HomeStore will open this year near Interstate 71 and Fields Ertel Road, and another location is planned in Northern Kentucky. The location for the fourth store has yet to be determined.

Each new store will create between 40 and 50 jobs, Kenney said.

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E-mail rtucker@enquirer.com