MOBILE HOME MARKET NOW OPERATING AT FRUITLAND

FRUITLAND -- A new mobile home market has opened near here.

D Mart Mobile Homes recently opened near the D Mart service station and convenience store at the Interstate 55-Highway 61 intersection.

"We only have six mobile homes in inventory now," said Mike Jansen, vice president of Drury Southwest, developer of the new business. "We want to increase to at least a dozen homes."

Steve Ball is manager of the mobile home sales, which will be handling Franklin, Magnolia and Chandeleur mobile homes. Both new and used homes are sold.

"We set up the sales office for two reasons," said owner Bob Drury. "Number one, we feel the demand for affordable housing will continue to grow. A 1,200-square-foot manufactured home can be purchased for $20 per square foot versus $40 to $50 per square foot for a site-built home. Number two, construction standards within the industry have changed; there is a new commitment to quality."

Ball said the homes offer quality construction. "Our new homes carry a Class A fire rating, have two-by-fours on 16-inch centers in exterior and interior walls, R-values available up to R-25, plywood flooring, sprayed sheet-rock ceilings and professionally tailored packages."

Single section homes are available in sizes from 700 to 1,200 square feet and double sections range up to 2,400 square feet. The operation is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

Drury said D Mart Mobile Homes is part of the second phase of a master plan to develop the northwest corner of the Interstate 55-Highway 61 interchange. Phase II of the plans for the 300-acre site includes developing a mobile home park on the site. Under the first phase, the D Mart Convenience Store was opened and site work, utilities and streets were done.