Art Van Furniture has identified the first five Chicago stores it will open this year and also said it will open a store in Gaylord, Mich., later in the year and close a store in Onaway, Mich.
The expansion into Gaylord in northern Michigan is part of an expansion of full-line Art Van showrooms coming in July through September, including the Top 100 company's move into Toledo, Ohio, and the Chicago market.
The Chicago expansion through this year will be in Batavia, Bolingbrook, Orland Park, Ford City and Lincoln Park areas, the retailer said.
The Onaway store is set to close next month.
In a release, Art Van Elslander, founder and chairman of the Warren, Mich.-based company, said, "This summer will prove to be one of record growth for the company."
He also said that with stores in Traverse City, Petoskey and Alpena, Mich., plus Gaylord coming up, "We believe we can effectively service the northern Michigan communities and have decided to close our Onaway store in May."
He said the company will make "every effort" to find new positions in the company for its Onaway associates.
Art Van also recently opened two PureSleep bedding stores in Sterling Heights and Kalamazoo, Mich., and said three more are opening this spring in West Bloomfield and Midland, Mich., and Toledo, bringing the PureSleep store count to 11.
Art Van operates 36 stores in Michigan, eight freestanding PureSleep stores and the Mattress World bedding chain in Michigan and Indiana.
