Hutson's Fine Furniture to reopen with Art Van Furniture next month

Hutson�s Fine Furniture will reopen at 43 S. Main St. in Cape Girardeau next month, co-branded with Art Van Furniture, according to recent announcements.

Chris Hutson, who owns Hutson�s with his brothers Dave and Jeff, said Monday he�s thrilled to be joining forces with one of the top furniture companies in the Midwest.

About a year and a half ago, Hutson said, Art Van Furniture approached Hutson�s about a partnership.

It�s taken some time to get the details hammered out, Hutson said, but the grand opening celebration is slated for June 23.

Art Van Furniture has been expanding in the last few years. With the Cape Girardeau location, it will have 73 furniture showrooms in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa and Missouri, according to a company news release.

Cape Girardeau will have the sixth Missouri showroom at Hutson�s, the release noted.

Hutson said Art Van Furniture will co-brand with Hutson�s, and since they�re in the same location now, the changes are improvements more than differences.

�We�re very excited because now we can offer more,� he said.

The building was completely gutted, Hutson said, and the new showroom is about 10,000 square feet larger than the previous space.

Art Van Furniture brings purchasing power, meaning Hutson�s will be able to offer better prices on quality furniture, he added.

He said Hutson�s famous window displays will continue.

Hutson�s and Art Van Furniture already have begun charity work, raising money for the Care to Learn backpack fund at Cape Girardeau public schools.

Callie Welker, Care to Learn board president, said she�s delighted the company would offer a chance to win money for the program.

�Whatever we raise goes directly to the program,� Welker said.

Donations are accepted through today at crowdrise.com.

As of Monday afternoon, just more than $9,500 of the $10,000 goal had been raised.

Hutson�s was founded in 1945 when Glenn and Lynn Hutson returned from service after World War II, according to newspaper archives. The original building was at 22 N. Main St.; it moved to its current location in 1946.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

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