the staff of the new Homewood location of
The RoomPlace. (Photos by Eric Crump/
H-F Chronicle)
The RoomPlace marked the opening of its 24th store with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday, April 5.
The RoomPlace, thanks
staff and contractors for
the hard work that went
into the extensive renovations
at the company’s new
Homewood location.
The opening of the store at 18150 S. Halsted St. in Homewood comes after extensive renovations to the former Bay Furniture Store that cost about $1 million, according to CEO Paul Adams.
Adams and store General Manager Shay Spears thanked a number of company officials and contractors for their role in designing, financing and renovating the space.
“This is a huge improvement for us in terms of being able to showcase our products,” Adams said, noting that prior to renovations, the building’s interior had darker colors and less openness.
The company sells living room, dining room and bedroom furniture.
Spears, of Country Club Hills, comes to the Homewood store from The RoomPlace store at 18325 S Halsted St. in Glenwood, which she managed for more than three years.
The Glenwood Plaza store will remain open for some time as a clearance center, Adams said. The shopping center was recently acquired by the Village of Glenwood and is slated for redevelopment, so the future of The RoomPlace there is not certain. Adams said the company would like to keep a store there, if possible.
The move to Homewood did not generate new jobs because most of the staff in the new store transferred from the Glenwood store, but Adams said if the Glenwood store remains viable, more staff might be added in the future.
Also on hand for the ribbon-cutting was company media buyer Valerie Berman-Knight. She represents the fourth generation of the Berman family to be involved in the business. Her great-grandfather, Sam Berman, founded the business in Chicago in 1912, shortly after immigrating to the U.S. from Russia.
All three company officials said they were glad to be in Homewood so they can continue to serve the south suburban area.
Spears said she appreciated the welcome the store received from Homewood officials.
“We’re very committed to the community of Homewood,” she said.
More information:
www.theroomplace.com/
in Homewood shows company founder Sam
Berman in front of his Chicago furniture store
in 1912. His great-granddaughter, Valerie
Berman-Knight is the fourth generation to
help lead the company.