Tulsa, OK, December 6--A face-lift at a Tulsa furniture store is expected to be completed by year's end.
The $500,000 renovation in progress at Evans Home Furnishing Mall includes the addition of 40,000 square feet to the building, a redesigned, 3,000-square-foot east entrance complete with an elevator and two escalators, a wider entry off South Sheridan Road, and a resurfaced parking lot with new markings.
Plans to expand the business began 1 1/2 years ago after Oklahoma City-based Mathis Brothers Furniture decided to acquire Evans. Under the deal that was finalized last June, the two Evans stores -- in Oklahoma City and Tulsa -- have retained the Evans name.
The contractor for the renovation project is Broken Arrow-based Modern Star Builders; the design was created by Danny R. Mitchell Architect, a Tulsa firm.
The refurbished building and easier access will complement Evans' inventory, which now includes a bigger selection of everything from mattresses to living room settings.
Evans will also add 30 members to its staff within a year. About 60 people work there now.
Previously, the store layout resembled a warehouse setting, with sofas scattered throughout the area, said store manager Fred Foos.
But a new design concept from World Furniture Market will transform the store into room settings, with furniture grouped by style, whether contemporary or casual, traditional or elegant. Customers will be able to purchase an entire group at one price or buy just one piece.
"We'll have from 30 to 40 new living room groups," Foos said, with 120 upholstery groups arranged on the display floor. Shoppers can pick from 60 to 80 bedroom and dining room groupings.
A revamped sleep shop features a full line of mattresses, from less-expensive basics to top-of-the-line models from Sealy, Lady Americana, and Stearns and Foster, Foos said.
"We have the most complete line of Lady Americana mattresses in Tulsa," he added.
Evans also has $350,00 worth of decorative accessories in stock, including a selection of area rugs designed to coordinate with groupings.
Acquiring Evans "has broadened our exposure in the marketplace," said Bud Mathis, the uncle of current Mathis Brothers owners Bill and Larry Mathis.
Bud Mathis, who retired from the family business years ago, is helping oversee renovations to the Evans store. The goal is to create a more customer-friendly shopping experience and a store that is easier to find in a part of Tulsa that has grown into a busy business corridor, he said.
Evans Furniture was founded by H.F. Evans and opened in Oklahoma City during the Great Depression. Mathis Brothers was founded in the mid-1940s by Homer and Ima Mathis, who opened their first store in southwest Oklahoma City.
Evans is also looking to change its official address from the confusing 6225 E. 36th St. to 3500 S. Sheridan Road to more accurately reflect the store's somewhat obscured location. The address change is pending with city officials.
With the opening to the one-acre parking lot widened to 55 feet, new signage and the redesigned front entrance, "There won't be a shadow of a doubt what we're selling," Foos said.
