MORRISON – The owner of one area furniture store is sticking his thumb in the eye of a yearlong recession and expanding into the Quad Cities.
Arlyn Tegeler, owner of Tegeler's Amish Furniture in Morrison, now is co-owner of Simply Amish Furniture Store in Davenport, Iowa. He plans a grand opening Friday and Saturday.
Amish furniture makers will be in the store at 3711 N. Harrison St. to talk about their craft, and all items are advertised at 15 percent off.
The 14,000-square-foot store had a soft opening last month in the same building vacated less than a year ago by now defunct Wagschal Furniture.
A rash of furniture store closings in the Quad Cities prompted Tegeler and business partner John Reisenbigler to make a run at that market, Tegeler said Wednesday.
"We just think there is a need for the furniture we sell. We think things are starting to turn around."
Tegeler and Reisenbigler have co-owned a Rockford Simply Amish furniture store for almost 17 years, said Tegeler, who is the sole owner of the Morrison store.
Furniture at the three stores is made by Amish woodworkers, primarily in central Illinois.
On the Web
Learn more about the stores online at www.tegeleramishfurniture.com for the Morrison store and www.simplyamishdavenport.com for the new Davenport location.