What’s that massive building under construction in northwest Fresno? Here are the details
A mysterious and massive building is under construction in northwest Fresno.
It’s part of the Markeplace at El Paseo, the shopping center near Highway 99 and Herndon Avenue.
With no signs identifying it and almost no windows, it has left neighbors wondering what it is.
The answer? A Floor & Decor store.
The 80,000-square-foot building is on Riverside Avenue, just south of the nearly finished Regal Cinemas building and the new Hobby Lobby.
It’s a flooring store specializing in tile, wood, stone, laminate and vinyl flooring – basically everything but carpet.
The store will also sell countertops, shower doors, vanities and other items that go along with remodeling projects, including the tools to do them.
The Atlanta-based company has at least 120 stores in 30 states. It plans to open 400 more stores in the next decade or so, each employing an average of 50 to 60 workers.
As a big-box store, it will compete with other big chains like Home Depot, but also likely mean competition for locally owned flooring stores like Robinson’s Interiors or Creative Tile.
Floor & Decor
Floor & Decor says it keeps prices low by cutting out middlemen like brokers and importers, and buying direct from factories.
About 60% of its business comes from professional installers or contractors and it keeps enough flooring on hand to handle purchases for job sites, said Matt McConnell, the company’s senior manager of investor relations.
“Consumers want to see it. They want to touch it and feel it and be educated on it,” he said. “It’s not like buying toothpaste from Amazon. You can’t just return it.”
The store doesn’t have an exact opening date yet, but will be open by summer, McConnell said.
This story was originally published January 12, 2021 at 10:13 AM.
