• Furniture retailer opening first Wisconsin store

    Honquest Furniture for Living, known for its high-end furniture, will open its first Wisconsin store in Whitefish Bay on Friday.
    The Barrington Ill.-based company is opening its third store in the 12,100-square-foot space formerly occupied by Peabody's Interiors.
    "The people walking on the street in Whitefish Bay are the kind of people we sell to in Chicago," said Richard Honquest, company owner and CEO.
    Seven staff members will be running the new store, which will offer design consultation, furniture, rugs, carpeting and window treatments. For the launch, customers will receive $100 off for every $700 they spend.
    Honquest said he hopes the store will complement other furniture stores in the area. While the economy has taken its toll on furniture retailers, Honquest said the new store will provide something for everyone.
    "We have quality for more than one price range," Honquest said.
    In business since 1976, Honquest Furniture serves the Chicago area. Whitefish Bay has been on the company's radar for years. Honquest said he had known the Peabody store owners for years, and when the space opened up, he found it was perfectly designed for another furniture store.
    Lori Stengren, vice president of sales and merchandising, said the store will fit well in Whitefish Bay.
    "We're coming from a very aggressive market in Chicago, so our shoppers shop diligently for quality and price points," Stengren said.
    Depending on how well the Whitefish Bay store fares, the company anticipates opening another store in the Chicago area.
    The store opening comes at a challenging time for the high-end furniture market.
    Britt Beemer, chairman and CEO of America's Research Group in Summerville, S.C., said sales of upper-end items have declined 60% in the last five years, heightened by the housing market's troubles. Beemer said he's uncertain whether the slight housing rebound will help furniture stores.
    "We've seen a lot of stores close and the higher end furniture market has been taking it on the chin," Beemer said. "Some retailers are going to make it, but it's tough out there."
    The Milwaukee area has seen several furniture stores close their doors in recent years including Armin Koch, Porters, Tadych Furniture, Village Furniture and Dinesen's.