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| hhgregg opened its largest Chicago-area store on Thursday in Orland Park. |
By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy
Appliance and electronics retailer hhgregg would not have opened a new store in Orland Park this week without the failure of other retailers such as Circuit City and Linens-N-Things.
“We are coming to Chicago because we were able to get real estate at reasonable prices,” said Jeff Pearson, vice president of marketing for the Indianapolis-based retailer of electronics and appliances. Attempts to enter the Chicago market earlier were thwarted by high rents and few desirable locations.
Hhgregg officially opened 14 stores on Thursday, including the Orland Park store at 1385 Orland Park Place Dr. at Orland Park Place Mall. All of the stores are taking space vacated by other retailers.
In this case, hhgregg is moving into the former Sports Authority store, which moved recently into the former Circuit City location at 94th Avenue and 159th Street in Orland Hills.
Pearson said that hhgregg, which was founded in 1955, was able to finally crack the Chicago marketplace when big box locations started becoming available thanks to the sour economy.
“We were able to take advantage of an opportunity that exists because some retailers were unable to make a go of it,” he said.
Pearson said hhgregg will succeed because “consumers like our retail model. We have fantastic prices, a wide selection and a better level of service” than rival retailers.
“A lot of retailers believe in self-serve,” he said. “We believe in associates who know about all of our products and who can help consumers make an informed decision on what to buy.”
Approximately 700 people have been hired to staff the new Chicago-area stores, he said. All of them have undergone a comprehensive training program and are regularly updated on products, he said.
Pearson said each store will have more than 100 digital televisions and 500 appliances in stock every day.
Pearson said a grand opening sale will run until Sept. 24 with low prices, special financing options and a chance to win prizes including a Frigidaire Stainless Steel Appliance Package, a 55-inch LG 3D TV or a Magellan GPS.
He said hhgregg also has a newly designed website that consumers can use to search and compare products as well as make online purchases.
The 14 openings make Chicago hhgregg’s largest market, and another six stores are expected to open before Christmas including one at Ford City Mall on Chicago’s Southwest Side.
Pearson said the Orland Park store will be 44,000 square feet, which is the largest one opening Thursday. Other area stores are in Joliet, Naperville, and Merrillville, Ind. Store hours are Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
With the addition of the Chicago-area stores, hhgregg will operate 204 stores in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
James & Sons Opens Gold Exchange
James & Sons closed their Olympia Fields jewelry store back in 2008 but continued to buy gold a couple of days a week at the store at 3474 Vollmer Road in the Olympia Square Shopping Center.
The retailer moved back into the community full time recently when it opened J&S Gold & Diamond Exchange in that same location.
The company buys gold and diamonds as well as makes short-term loans much like a pawn shop.
The Sunderland family remains involved with the store, which still operates jewelry stores in Orland Square, Chicago and Schererville, Ind.
J&S is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, call 708-481-1500 or visit their website at http://www.jandsgold.com/.
Hallmark Store Closes
Rand’s Hallmark closed recently at 91 Joe Orr Road in Chicago Heights.
Bears Deal of the Weekend
Watch the Bears take on the Saints on Sunday and get free appetizers at halftime at Oliver’s Bar & Grill, 6150 W. 159th St., Oak Forest.
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