Rent-to-own News - Buddy's grows with new franchisee stores

Tampa-based Buddy’s Home Furnishings today announced the recent openings of seven new stores, including three stores with existing franchisees and 4 with three new companies. These openings include the following:

1.    Fort Smith, Arkansas - the 7th store in our BREG Group, LLC franchise operated by Chuck Haver.
2.    Fabens, Texas - the 7th store in our West Texas RTO Ventures, LLC franchise operated by Adrian Rosales.
3.    Chatsworth, Georgia - the 7th store in our Shadowstone Investments, LLC franchise operated by Cory Fox.
4.    Nacogdoches, Texas - our 1st store in the new Value Wise RTO, LCC operated by Rodney Shaver.
5.    Dededo, Guam – our 1st store in the new Pauhana Associates Limited, LLC operated by Darrin Senne.
6.    Pensacola, Florida – our 1st store in the new Pensacola Lease Purchase, LLC operated by Lee Duvall.
7.    Panama City, Florida – our 2nd store in the new Pensacola Lease Purchase, LLC operated by Lee Duvall.

In addition to these new openings, approximately 10 more future store openings are being planned for 2011.

“We are very excited about our recent openings and the new partnerships that we are creating for future growth and expansion,” said Todd Homberger, president of Buddy’s Franchising, Inc.  “Our team is committed to doing everything we can to help our new partners become a vital part of their communities and continue giving our customers the best products, prices & service that we are known for.”

Buddy’s Home Furnishings, originally known as Buddy Bi-Rite, was founded in 1961 by Mr. Norman "Slat" Slatton, Sr. Selling used appliances from his home, Mr. Slatton had a dream that one day he would have an appliance store of his own where he could service the demands of the growing Tampa area.
 
A few year's later, Mr. Slatton's dreams were realized when he opened his first appliance showroom. Driven by an intense desire to succeed, Mr. Slatton built his business one satisfied customer at a time, and soon the Buddy Bi-Rite name became synonymous with quality appliances, low prices, and old fashioned service.
 
Over the next 15 years, Buddy Bi-Rite prospered and, by the end of the 1970's, had sold more televisions and appliances that any other independent dealer in the Tampa Bay, FL area. 

In 1979, Mr. Slatton recognized that a growing number of young families were not able to purchase a new television or appliance because they either lacked good credit or were unable to come up with a large down payment. It was at this time that Buddy Bi-Rite introduced the "Rent-to-Own" plan.
 
The overwhelming popularity of Buddy Bi-Rite's "Rent-to-Own" plan fueled the company's expansion into other towns throughout Florida, and now many other states.

Today, Buddy's Home Furnishings has 105 company, franchisee and licensee locations in multiple states, including Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, North Carolina, Tennessee and  Nebraska. Future stores being targeted are in Texas, Arkansas & more.