Batavia welcomes Art Van Furniture

BATAVIA – Batavia resident Karyn Bergsieker liked what she saw Saturday as she walked around the new Art Van Furniture store on Randall Road in Batavia.

“It’s wonderful so far,” Bergsieker said. “Good prices and good variety.”

Bergsieker was among those in attendance at Saturday’s grand opening of the store at 165 Randall Road in Batavia, which formerly housed Wickes Furniture. Wickes went out of business in 2008.

Her daughter, Courtney Bergsieker, is a member of the Batavia High School dance team, which performed at the grand opening.

The store has been open since Sept. 14.

Batavia Mayor Jeff Schielke welcomed the Michigan-based furniture and mattress retailer to the community. Art Van Furniture also recently opened stores in Orland Park and Hobart, Ind.

“Batavia is really looking forward to some very positive synergy from you,” Schielke said in addressing store officials.

Store manager Gerri Knapp said the store wants to provide “furniture at a reasonable price point, but of a great quality.” The retailer in April announced its plans to open a store in Batavia.

“Batavia is a market that we wanted to be in,” Art Van Furniture CEO Kim Yost said.

He said the building’s size made it ideal for a store.

“It’s 40,000 square feet, which is a good size,” Yost said. “We can’t open a store smaller than 40,000 square feet. It also has great visibility and parking.”