property on Mooresville's main street with one vision in mind: to
create one of the largest, most spectacular furniture stores in the
world, a center for furniture tourism in North Carolina that will
appeal to buyers nationally and internationally.
Bay opened the first phase of his Merinos Home Furnishings in May
2011. Soon, he will bring to life even more of his ambitious plan.
On Memorial Day, Monday, May 28, Bay will open Phase 2 of Merinos,
with two new buildings and four additional acres of furniture, rugs
and furnishings for sale. Combined with Phase 1, Merinos will now
offer a total of seven acres of home decor in a picturesque
refurbished mill setting at 500 South Main Street in Mooresville.
As part of Phase 2, Boyles Furniture will open a 30,000-square-foot,
loft-style warehouse space in the Merinos complex. Their new store is
called Boyles Furniture Direct. New shipments will fill the Boyles
showroom over the next 60 days. "The combination of Boyles and Merinos
complements each other," says Bay. "We see this as bringing in experts
to supplement our own expertise in fine furniture."
Shoppers strolling the new phase of Merinos will see:
* An array of top brands, including Thomasville, Broyhill, Klaussner,
and many more at factory-direct prices, with a focus on furniture made
in the United States;
* New sections featuring children's furniture, office furniture, patio
furniture, and more;
* A 60,000-square-foot rug display room which will house "the largest
collection of rugs on the planet," says Bay, "including exquisite
pieces from Europe and Asia."
All this is set against the striking brick architecture of the old
mill, whose architectural details have been carefully preserved and,
in many cases, restored.
"We don't do anything half way," Bay says. "We want Merinos to offer
the largest assortment of beautifully crafted furniture available
anywhere. We've created Merinos to be a fun destination that visitors
to our area will make a point of seeing, along with the city's racing
shops and other attractions." The expansion of Merinos has generated
an additional 40 jobs at the complex.
Coming to Merinos in September: a 120-seat pizzeria with four wood-
fired brick ovens from Italy. The pizzeria will be located in the
mill's power plant building which once housed the boilers and steam
engines that generated heat and electricity for the mill.
Over time, Bay will open a section of the 27-acre complex with
artisans on site producing custom and designer furniture, with
observation galleries for viewing. He also plans a European Design
Center at Merinos devoted to helping European clients select furniture
and other pieces for shipment back home.
To find out more, visit www.merinosfurniture.com or call 704-660-0445.
