Curiosity is raging about this new building near Fresno’s River Park. Take a look inside
For about a year, Fresnans have been curiously eyeing the big new building going up on the site of the former Boomers! entertainment complex near River Park.
Visible from Highway 41 and the subject of multiple quizzical Reddit.com posts, locals have been asking “What is it?” for months.
It’s Living Spaces.
No, it’s not apartments — as the general contractor noted some people have mistakenly assumed — but a furniture store.
Before you say, “Another furniture store in Fresno?” know that this one is a bit different. It has a cafe that serves $2 beer and a massive, multi-story play area for kids. The 104,000-square-foot building is part of a 40-store chain based in La Mirada, in Southern California.
“It just feels different from other locations around here,” Living Spaces general manager Rebecca Bugayong said of the furniture store landscape in Fresno.
Living Spaces officially opened to the public Feb. 7. It’s at 7354 N. Abby St., between Kohl’s and Home Depot. It will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
At its heart, it’s a furniture store, with every traditional department and then some, including bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, outdoor furniture, recliners, kids and teen furniture, mattresses, rugs and more.
The cafe and kids area
Walk to the back of the store and there’s a cafe. It’s a bit like a subdued bar and cafe in Las Vegas, with TVs showing sports games. A limited menu includes six kinds each of beer and wine, along with lattes and cappuccinos — all for $2.
There are also personal pizzas, cake slices, and chips and salsa, none of it priced at more than $3. The cost of the food and drinks is taken off your bill when you spend about $100 on furniture.
On Wednesday night, Chris Hubbard of Clovis sat at the bar with his daughter Steph, of Fresno, both of them drinking a beer.
“This is ... the husband who doesn’t really want to shop who can sit here while their wives are shopping,” he said, noting that his wife was doing exactly that.
Nearby is the Kids Fun Room, a supervised kids-only space that’s like a McDonald’s PlayPlace on steroids. It has a three-story obstacle course children can climb with swings, slides, trampolines and other jungle gym-style features.
There are also tables for kids who want to color, play video games or watch movies.
The store also has brightly colored taxi cab carts parents can push their kids around in.
The furniture
Living Spaces carries products with a range of prices, from affordable to more high-end. So, you can find a basic $150 twin bed frame, but also a much fancier $2,000 bed.
Throw pillows, for example, range from $49 to $85.
Employees are not on commission like they are at many furniture stores, Bugayong said.
“A guest can walk in and not feel pressured,” she said.
That was something customer Steve Berst of Madera appreciated. He just remodeled his home and used a special discount to buy a recliner and a sofa bed for his grandkids.
“The girl was patient because I want things a certain way,” he said of the worker. “The prices are very comfortable.”
The store has 80 employees. Managers spent two weeks doing 1,000 interviews, Bugayong said.
Workers carry tablets so they can show customers the dozens of fabric options available for couches and other furniture.
This story was originally published February 7, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
