Atlanta-Based Aaron's Rental Purchase To Expand National Presence With 12 New Store Openings In Midwest, Mountain And West Coast Regions

Furniture World Magazine

Atlanta-based Aaron's Rental Purchase, one of the fastest-growing furniture, electronics, and appliance rental purchase franchisers in the United States, is speeding up national expansion efforts with plans to open 12 new stores in the Midwest, Mountain and West Coast regions of the United States. Attracted to Aaron's national reputation for top quality goods, fair pricing, and unrivaled customer service, experienced business owners/operators Sultan Financial of Los Angeles, CA, the Arona Corporation of Des Moines, IA, and the Northern Rental Corporation of Sioux Falls, SD will develop and operate the new stores. "By creating a better way to provide the basic necessities to a large, under-served segment of society, Aaron's has carved out a separate, distinct niche in the marketplace," says Todd Evans, vice president of franchise development, Aaron's Rental Purchase. "As a result, our franchise program is attracting the attention of successful entrepreneurs and management executives with the experience and financial capacity to acquire and operate profitable multi-store franchises - a key to our rapid growth rate." Doug Hendricks of the Northern Rental Corporation, pleased with the performance of his first franchise store in Sioux Falls, SD, is venturing into the virtually untapped markets of the Mountain region of the United States. Hendricks will open two new Aaron's franchises in Omaha, NE, one in Lincoln, NE, one in Council Bluffs, IA, and one in Sioux City, IA, with the first opening date expected in December of 1999. Tom Bernau of the Arona Corporation is also expanding on what has already proved to be a good investment. "I've been a franchisee for a couple of years now and I've enjoyed my relationship with Aaron's very much," says Bernau. "The Aaron's program puts its stores far ahead of the competition when it comes to customer service, selection and pricing." Already operating three stores in the Des Moines area, Bernau will be opening four new Aaron's franchises within the course of the next two years - one in Cedar Rapids, IA, one in Moline, IL, and two in Rockford, IL. Randy Sultan, Sultan Financial Services, will be building upon his already solid Aaron's foundations on the West Coast. Sultan has already opened three new stores in Southern California and will be opening three more in the Fresno, CA area, with the first official opening expected in the first quarter of the year '2000. Sultan's Bakersfield store, the first Aaron's Rental Purchase franchise in the Southern California marketplace, was named Aaron's Store of the Year for 1998. Sultan says, "I fully expect the new stores to generate equally spectacular sales and service." Aaron's franchises have taken rental purchase well beyond the industry's stereotyped urban locations and lower-end products, building 8,000-square-foot-plus suburban superstores, packed with extensive selections of furniture, brand-name electronics and appliances at fair prices. Aarons' renter friendly agreements will allow customers in the Midwest, Mountain, and West Coast regions to own their own merchandise in 12 monthly payments; agreements can be canceled at any time. Aaron's Rental Purchase is a division of Atlanta-based, publicly-traded Aaron Rents, Inc. (NYSE: RNT). Aaron Rents, Inc. currently has a total of 443 company-operated and franchised profit centers in 36 states for the rental and sale of residential and office furniture and accessories, consumer electronics, and household appliances. The company manufactures furniture, bedding, and accessories at 11 facilities in four states.