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Gorman's Signs Lease in Grand Rapids
January 4,
2011 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on January 5, 2011
Gormans Home Furnishings and Interior Design has signed a lease in Grand Rapids, Mich., to open the companys fifth design center.
The lease was signed by Gormans partners Tom Lias, president and COO; Bernie Moray, CEO; Jeff Roberts, executive vice president, and John Moray, vice president of operations.
Gormans will move into the spaces formerly occupied by Israels Home Furnishings and Israels Windows Floors & More. A total of nearly 55,000 square feet, the adjacent showrooms are expected to open for business in early February.
The Grand Rapids Gormans design center will mirror the format of our existing metro Detroit stores, including a design team with our deep commitment to quality and our 100 best brands all designed for unlimited price ranges, style ranges and custom options, said Tom Lias, president. Gormans offers all the services style-conscious consumers and trade professionals need to make a house a home.
When hiring for the new Gormans store is completed, it will employ as many as 40 associates, many who had been employed with the now defunct Israels and Klingmans furniture stores.
Israels was an advocate for the community for more than 55 years and they built a very close-knit, talented team committed to delivering the best in design and developing relationships across western Michigan," Lias said. "We look forward to welcoming many of them into the Gormans family and continuing the tradition of delivering the best in home furnishings in Grand Rapids and beyond.
Operating under the Drexel Heritage name, Gormans exited the Grand Rapids market in 1996 after 15 years, when the building the company occupied was sold during lease negotiations. Coincidentally, this is the same building that was occupied until recently by Israels, and the same space in which Gormans will be reopening.
Gorman's has been been in business for more than 70 years in Michigan and currently operates four stores.