The Chair King expands, opens first 'green' store

Staff -- Casual Living, 8/1/2007 12:00:00 AM

Houston-based retailer The Chair King continued its growth by opening its first "green" store in Austin, Texas. The 26,000-sq.-ft. store opened May 19, in Mueller Retail, a mixed use redevelopment by Catellus Development Group.

This state-of-the-art Austin Chair King store earned a three-star rating from the Austin Energy Green Building Program by implementing cost saving, low impact, energy efficient systems into, among other areas, the store's HVAC, lighting and plumbing, as well as by using low VOC finishes and on-site recycling. In addition, Chair King required contractors to recycle or salvage at least 50% of all debris while the store was under construction. Jackie Barish of The Chair King, Inc. coordinated the project.

David Barish, president of The Chair King, also announced the chain will open another retail location in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex this fall. The 26,000-sq.-ft. Grapevine Mills Mall store will be the second of six stores planned for the Metroplex and will follow The Chair King's standard prototype.

"The store will serve the Southlake, Lewisville, Grapevine and Flower Mound markets as well as the larger Grapevine mills mall trade area," Barish said.

Chairman Marvin Barish said, "As we make our move into Dallas-Fort Worth, we are very excited to be able to bring Chair King's great selection and values to our new customers."

With 17 retail stores in Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Austin, The Chair King is consistently ranked within the nation's Top 10 casual furniture retailers among Casual Living's 100 Powerhouse Retailers. This year The Chair King is celebrating 57 years in business.