By Sherry Koonce
The Port Arthur News
Thu, May 22 2008
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By Sherry Koonce
The News staff writer
Spacious floorspace, a convenient location and ample merchandise to choose from greeted customers Wednesday at Conn’s grand opening for the retailer’s new Port Arthur store.
Built brand new at its new 7855 Memorial Blvd. location, the new store boasts a 25,000-square-foot retail showroom. The added space is nearly 8,000 square feet larger than the old Mid-County Conn’s it replaces at 3600 Texas 365.
Port Arthur residents Anita Ozuna, 70, and her husband, Arthur Ozuna, 69, shopped at the new Conn’s for the first time Wednesday. Though admittedly browsing, both agreed they were pleased with the store’s merchandise.
“It’s just beautiful,” Anita Ozuna said. “Oh my gosh, the furniture is so very nice, and there is such a large selection of everything. We needed this store here and I am so proud to have it.”
An expanded line of furniture is one of the new offerings featured in the Port Arthur Conn’s.
“This is one of our newer format stores that features more furniture. We started out with recliners sitting around televisions, and then they started selling, so it just grew from there,” William C. Nylin Jr., Conn’s executive vice chairman, said.
Nylin was in Port Arthur Wednesday for a grand opening and ribbon cutting hosted by the Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce.
“This is a bigger store with easier shopping opportunities for our customers,” he said.
The store features the latest technology in digital electronics, including high definition projection, plasma and LCD flat panel television displays as well as a large selection of name brand appliances, TVs, electronics, computers, furniture, mattresses, and lawn and garden equipment.
Sylvia Nations, 39, of Port Arthur, and her daughter, 14-year-old Lexi Whitaker, were in the store Wednesday to purchase a laptop computer.
“I really like the store. It’s our second time here, it’s close to my house and I don’t have to beat the 365 traffic,” she said.
Whitaker said she had enjoyed browsing for future purchases, “There’s just so many things in here that I want. It’s a good birthday shopping store,” she said.
Beaumont-based Conn’s was founded in 1890 as a small heating and plumbing business. Since then, the company has grown to become one of the nation’s largest independent retail appliance and home electronics retailers with 69 stores in Austin, Beaumont, Corpus Christi, Houston, San Antonio, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Dallas/Ft. Worth, and Oklahoma City, according to a company press release.
“We are responding to the needs of consumers in Mid- and South-County who want access to a wide selection of quality products and the latest in electronics technology, Tom Frank, chairman and chief executive officer, said in the press release. “Conn’s has been providing quality service to our customers in the Beaumont, Port Arthur and Orange area for more than 100 years. We’re committed to continuing our aggressive competitiveness in our own backyard.”
Port Arthur store hours are from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
Contact this reporter at skoonce@panews.com
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