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Ashley Global Retail Opens New Facility in Ybor City

Furniture World News Desk on 2/24/2016



Pictured Left to Right: Ron Wanek, Governor Rick Scott, Todd Wanek, Mayor Bob Buckhorn.


Political and business leaders celebrate economic development in historic community
Tampa, Fla. – February 23, 2016 – Ashley Global Retail announced the opening of its new award-winning facility in Tampa’s Ybor City historical district, with a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house attended by Governor Rick Scott, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and hundreds of business leaders and guests.

Ashley Global Retail was awarded the Best Repurpose Project Award by the NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association, for its new Ybor facility.

The 76,000-square-foot facility involved an extensive remodel and resulted in the creation of 200 jobs in Ybor City, including 40 new e-commerce positions. An average of 40 workers were on site, six to seven days a week over a 10-month construction schedule to create this dynamic and efficient business facility.
“We appreciate the hospitality of the City of Tampa and the State of Florida and are proud to contribute to the revitalization of Ybor City,” said Todd Wanek, President and CEO of Ashley Furniture Industries. “With a new state-of-the-art facility, our talented associates are enthusiastic to deliver a strong brand and retail excellence to our customers around the globe.”

Ashley Global Retail LLC (“Ashley Global Retail”), a marketing, sales and e-commerce organization focusing on products manufactured by Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. (“Ashley Furniture”) will welcome thousands of annual visitors, including retailers and suppliers, from all over the world. The increased workforce and visitors will have a significant economic impact on the district’s restaurants, bars, hotels and services.

Governor Scott said, “I am excited to celebrate the grand opening of Ashley Furniture’s new offices in Tampa and the creation of 40 new jobs. While Ashley Furniture could have chosen to invest in any other of their locations, they knew that Florida was the best place to grow their business and create new jobs. By cutting $1 billion in taxes and creating the new $250 million dedicated Florida Enterprise Fund this year, we want more companies like Ashley Furniture to grow in Florida.”

Mark Dufresne, CEO of Ashley Global Retail said, “This new facility represents Ashley Global Retail’s commitment to using technology and a talented design team to create superior value for Ashley customers.”


More about Ahsley Furniture: Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. (Ashley) feels that every person deserves more value for their money. Established in 1945, Ashley is one of the largest manufacturers of furniture in the world. Ashley is committed to delivering the best values, selection and service, and earning the loyalty and trust of its customers in over 100 countries across the globe. From design through fulfillment, Ashley continuously strives to be the world’s best furniture company. For more information on Ashley and its products, visit www.ashleyfurniture.com.


Ashley HomeStore is committed to being your trusted partner and style leader for the home. This commitment has made Ashley HomeStore the No. 1 furniture retailer in the U.S. and one of the world’s best-selling furniture store brands with more than 600 locations in 28 countries. For more information, visit  www.ashleyhomestore.com.