Steinhafels furniture store eyes 2019 opening in Crystal Lake

Steinhafels furniture store officially is coming to Crystal Lake.

The Wisconsin-based company plans to open its second Illinois store in the former Kmart space, 5846 Route 14. The other Steinhafels is in Vernon Hills, 569 N. Milwaukee Ave.

The store will be in the Crystal Point Shopping Center between Best Buy and Ross Dress for Less.

"The space had been vacant for a couple of years, and we worked on filling it," said Heather Maieritsch, the city's economic development manager. "We were successful with Steinhafels."

The company previously announced plans to hire about 50 people, and although Steinhafels expected to open in the space sometime this fall, it now is eyeing an early 2019 opening, Maieritsch said.

She said there are "very few" retailers seeking a 100,000-square-foot building.

"It's difficult to find a retailer that can fill a building this size, so we were really excited to partner with Steinhafels to have them open their second Illinois location."

Steinhafels is the fastest-growing furniture and mattress retailer in Wisconsin, according to the company's website, and it is the state's leading furniture and mattress retailer.

Crystal Point already is home to a new Ulta Beauty store and soon a T.J. Maxx discount retailer. Both stores opened this fall and moved into a space left empty by the Sports Authority.

The T.J. Maxx will be closed Saturday and reopen Thursday in its new location. A grand opening celebration will be heldfrom 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday.

Maieritsch said the city has been successful in encouraging retailers to move into vacant spaces.

"We've got a lot of activity," she said. "We have a lot of new businesses coming to the Crystal Lake market along that Northwest Highway corridor."