Ashley Furniture to open next year

Business Today

JACKSON -- David Donley of Commercial Real Estate Specialists Inc. said he recently brokered a deal that will bring a new commercial development to the nine acres beside Buchheit at the corner of East Jackson Boulevard and Old Orchard Road. That development will be anchored by a 50,000-square-foot Ashley Furniture Home Store.

The father-son duo of Al and Kirk Barton will finance the project. The Bartons own and operate an Ashley Furniture store in Poplar Bluff. Although the Jackson location will be the Bartons' second Ashley store, the Wisconsin-based furniture company has 125 locations nationwide.

Kirk Barton said that in addition to their new store, he and his father will finance the development of an additional 10,000 square feet to be leased to any interested parties. He said that space will be finished to suit the needs of any number of occupants, whether it be one big retailer or several smaller commercial or office-space tenants.

Barton said the busy intersection and the location next to Buchheit make the new Jackson site a good fit for his store. Construction is expected to be completed by the first of January.