The Springdale showroom is housed in the former Roberds Grand, a furniture superstore opened in 1996 by Roberds Inc. West Carrollton-based Roberds went out of business in 2000. In 2004, Morris opened its Ashley Furniture shop in part of that building and now has filled out more of it with the Morris showroom. The company also purchased Roberds’ distribution center in Fairborn.
Klaben said he considers western Columbus a possible site for another Morris store, partly because it sits within an hour’s travel of the distribution facility. Klaben’s company isn’t a stranger to the state capital; it already operates three Ashley Furniture stores there.
Klaben said the Fairborn facility could serve stores in cities that are two hours away from it, were the company eventually to expand that far.
“That’s not in the plans right now, but that’s always a possibility,” he said.
Plans for a Morris showroom proposed for the Miller Lane area near the interchange of Interstates 70 and 75 remain on hold for the time being, but eventually could go forward, Klaben said.
“It just depends on when the economic climate will assist us in doing that development,” he said.
Housing sales down
Housing sales in Ohio ended last year down 4 percent, while the average price for the homes rose 2.6 percent, a state organization said.
The Ohio Association of Realtors said 100,980 were sold last year, compared with 105,237 in 2009. The total sales volume slipped to $13.4 million from $13.6 million, a 1.5 percent decline, OAR officials said.
However, the average price increased to $132,676, compared to $129,281 in 2009.
OAR’s figures include single-family homes, condos and co-ops.
Staff writer Tim Tresslar covers commercial and residential real estate for Dayton Daily News. His Real Estate Notebook appears every Sunday. He can be reached at (937) 225-7317 or via e-mail at ttresslar@coxohio.com.
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