Jackson, Miss. – Cowboy Maloney’s Electric City is adding furniture to its mix of appliances, CE and bedding.
The privately held chain will officially roll out the new category to three of its 11 stores on July 3. The designated showrooms are all located here in the company’s headquarters town.
The goods will be merchandised as packages of living room, dining room and bedroom suites under the “Furniture Favorites” flag, and recliners and bedding will also be offered.
The company, run by brothers Con, Eddie and Johnny Maloney, said the opportunity presented itself with the recent closure of several local furniture stores, and by the extra floor space that was freed up as rear projection TVs were replaced by flat panel models.
Con Maloney said the program will be supported by the chain’s no-credit check consumer financing and its buyers’ ability to find the best values. He added that the launch is expected to follow the success of other Cowboy Maloney initiatives including the national debuts of DirecTV, Sirius Satellite Radio and DishNet Satellite Internet service.
The retailer, a member of the NATM Buying Corp., is following a number of its fellow dealers into the furniture fray, including Conn’s, Nebraska Furniture Mart and R.C. Willey’s. Other CE and majap retailers, including multiregional chain h.h.gregg, have also entered or expanded the category in pursuit of greater profitability amid price and margin declines in CE.
In tandem with the furniture rollout, Cowboy Maloney’s will now also open for business on Sundays, in order to remain “competitive in the marketplace with big-box stores,” Johnny Maloney said.
