Broad River Retail, an Ashley HomeStore licensee, will create 161 jobs as it locates a distribution center in Johnston County. The company will invest $2 million in the new facility, to be located in Four Oaks.
“North Carolina’s strong workforce and critical transportation networks make it a natural fit for retailers working to deliver products quickly,” said Gov. Roy Cooper. “Broad River Retail’s new distribution hub in Johnston County will mean job growth and fuel economic expansion in the Four Oaks area.”
Broad River Retail, based in Fort Mill, South Carolina, is a privately held company that employs over 540 people and sells furniture, mattresses and home accessories. The new Four Oaks facility will be the second campus for Broad River Retail and will be 182,300 square feet. The facility will include an Ashley HomeStore plus Ashley HomeStore Outlet connected to a state-of-the-art, distribution center, call center, learning center and regional campus.
The new distribution center, located alongside I-95, will sit on over 30 acres of land and will support primarily eastern North Carolina, as well as parts of South Carolina and southern Virginia.
“This announcement is an exciting and important milestone for our company and is a testament to all of our talented team members who have contributed to our success and growth,” said Charlie Malouf, president and CEO of Broad River Retail. “This deal would not have happened without the leaders from the town of Four Oaks, Johnston County and the state of North Carolina. We were extremely pleased with how quickly everyone from economic development came together to make today’s announcement a reality, and we are grateful for the incredible collaboration.”
Todd Wanek, president and CEO of Ashley Furniture Industries, said “the investment made by Broad River Retail will allow the company to continue with our customer-centric focus, creating additional space to service our regional customer base in a timelier fashion.”
“The furniture industry continues to thrive in North Carolina,” said North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Anthony M. Copeland. “Broad River Retail’s new home in Four Oaks will serve as a great showcase for the industry along one of our busiest interstate routes.”
The North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) were instrumental in supporting the company’s decision to expand to the state.
The new positions associated with the project will provide an annual payroll impact of more than $6.8 million to the local economy.
A performance-based grant of $150,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help support Broad River Retail’s new operation in North Carolina. The One NC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All One NC grants require a matching grant from local governments.
In addition to the state Department of Commerce and the EDPNC, other key partners in the project include the North Carolina General Assembly, North Carolina Community College System, Johnston County, the Town of Four Oaks, and Johnston County’s Economic Development Office.