MANCHESTER, Conn. — Bob's Discount Furniture will hit the 50-store mark with the opening of its first three Philadelphia-area stores this month, adding a physical presence in a market it's been reaching online and through outlying showrooms.
The Top 100 company, which recently sold a majority stake to equity firm Bain Capital, will grand open the stores on Feb. 13. They include a 30,000-square-foot showroom in King of Prussia, Pa., a 31,000-square-foot store in Cherry Hill, N.J., and a 45,000-square-foot store in Wilmington, Del.
The retailer and it Bob's Outreach program, also will contribute $50,250 to 18 area schools to celebrate the expansion. Bob's Outreach supports schools and nonprofit groups in the communities where it operates.
The company didn't disclose its investment in the market or sales projections.
The new stores "reflect the company's continued commitment to serving residents throughout the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic regions, and are expected to add hundreds of new jobs to the local economy," the company said in a release.
With the new locations, Bob's will have opened seven stores in the past 12 months, including two in the Washington, D.C., area a year ago and two in the New York City market in May 2013. Philly gives the Manchester, Conn.-based Bob's 50 stores in 11 states - Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Virginia.
Kevin Parker, zone vice president for Bob's, said that after expanding in Washington and New York last year, "the next phase of our growth plan was to fill in the gap in the greater Philadelphia area, where we have been serving customers for years through our website and nearby stores."
During the grand opening, which extends through the weekend, Bob's will offer children's entertainment, including balloons and face painting.
