Rent-to-own News - Buddy's Home Furnishings kicks off expansion plans with nine new stores

Buddy's Home Furnishings this week announced the opening of nine new stores across four states, an expansion that will bring total store count for the historic rent-to-own company to 70.

“This is a very exciting time for all of us at Buddy’s Home Furnishings," said Buddy's owner Jamie Slatton. "It has been a long time dream to expand our brand and system throughout the U.S. We've been one of the most recognized names in the state of Florida for over 46 years and with this expansion we hope to soon be one of the top recognized brands across the country.”

Chuck Haver and Larry Lee with Buddy at the new Buddy's store in Pittsburg, Kansas -- one of nine new Buddy's locations.

The nine new stores are located in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, and Texas.

Buddy's will open the final two stores of the expansion this week in El Paso. The balance of Buddy's 70 stores are located in Florida and Georgia.

Slatton notes Buddy's has recruited some of the top talent in the rent-to-own industry to lead the expansion including Todd Homberger, new president of franchising.

The lineup also includes Chuck Haver, divisional manager of the new Arkansas and Kansas stores, Rodney Shaver, divisional manager of the new Louisiana and east Texas stores and the newest addition, Adrian  Rosales, divisional manager of the West Texas/EL Paso stores.

"With their proven track records as top performers with some of the largest organizations in the industry, we've seen tremendous success with these new stores in a very short time,” Slatton said.

Buddy’s Home Furnishings is a Tampa, Florida-based company founded in 1961 by Norman Slatton Sr. and his wife Lois Slatton. Since that time, Buddy’s has served over two million customers.

mevans@rtohq.org