Need a sofa? How about a soap dish? The largest furniture store you’ve ever seen has nine football fields’ worth of inventory. Here’s what to expect on your visit.
Nebraska Furniture Mart may have had the longest soft opening in the history of retail, spending most of March and now part of April getting the mammoth store and more than 2,300 workers up to speed. The store hasn’t set a date for its official grand opening, but it’s open every day. After the official grand opening, the crowds should be even larger. Store hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Here’s a handy guide to help you plan your visit.
There are three other Nebraska Furniture Mart stores, but the new store in The Colony is the largest. Owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc., the $400 million store has two levels and 560,000 square feet of space, or about the size of nine football fields. The store says that one lap around is 1.62 miles, or 3,664 steps.
Store officials predicted from the outset that it would be the highest-volume furniture store in the U.S., and Buffett said this year he thinks it will do $1 billion in annual sales, a level only one store has reached, the 2.2 million-square-foot Macy’s in Herald Square in Manhattan.
Louis DeLuca/The Dallas Morning News
Nebraska Furniture Mart says the store has 1,857,319 square feet of floor space. The average love seat is 15 square feet, so if you placed them side by side you could fit 123,816 love seats in the space.
There’s a pop-up shop to the left of the main entrance that will change out quarterly. For the opening, it’s a Texas shop with unusual items even for Texans. A wing chair in Mongolian sheep fur, for example, is quite the statement piece.
The store has four entrances, including one on the third floor of the parking garage that leads to the store's second level. It has six escalators and three elevators, plus stairs. There are one- and two-seater cars for toddlers in addition to regular shopping carts.
The warehouse on site is even larger than the store. At 1.3 million square feet, or about 22 football fields, it holds 500,000 items. Customers can have items delivered or drive around to the warehouse and pick them up at the more than 100 bays. They can also order online and pick up items the same day. Nebraska Furniture Mart says 120 customer vehicles can be loaded at the same time — one every 4 seconds.
There are 4,800 parking spaces, including 2,100 spaces in the five-level parking garage.
The store
For the uninitiated, Nebraska Furniture Mart isn’t like a Target or Ikea. It stocks 100,000 products, from very high-end items to low-end and everything in between. There are 65 cash registers. Throughout the store, customers will find 20 interactive kiosks where they can apply for credit or access the gift registry. There’s a Design Gallery and categories you don’t see in most furniture stores, such as electronics, outdoor kitchen appliances and fitness equipment. The store uses digital price tags that will allow staff members to change prices up to twice a day, and there’s a clearance section in every department.
FIRST FLOOR
Roll over/click on departments to learn more.
Kitchen
This section includes everything from outdoor kitchens to small appliances. There are 109 dishwashers, 206 refrigerators, 76 washer and dryer pairs and 220 cooktops. Brands include high-end Miele, Bosch and Thermador, along with Whirlpool, Maytag and KitchenAid. The store will also design your kitchen space and install it. Don’t miss the wall display with KitchenAid mixers in 22 colors.
Electronics
This section carries smartphones and monthly plans, video game consoles and home theater products. There’s a 96-foot interactive headphone wall and a fitness section. All 150 HDTV models will be turned on so you can compare them, and interactive displays include a Bose Salon. The store also sells Apple products and offers concierge service. Several manufacturers have installed interactive displays, including LG, Samsung, Nintendo, Xbox, HP, Go Pro and Garmin. If you’ve never seen a 3D printer, don’t miss the Marketbot 3D printer on display that will be making items all day.
Furniture
Furniture is grouped by style and rooms, and there are even displays according to style, with everything from rustic to contemporary. There are 125 accent chairs, 165 recliners and 110 bedroom sets. The “man cave” sells pool tables, game tables and bar counters. The store has a large selection of office furniture and a year-round outdoor furniture department. All furniture departments are arranged so that prices are lower in the back near the clearance areas and more expensive toward the front near the Design Gallery.
Flooring
Here you’ll find hard-surface flooring, backsplashes and countertops, rugs and even commercial flooring. The displays include an area with 500 hanging rugs. The store will install all of the items and offers free in-home measuring services.
Accessories
The downstairs accessories bazaar greets shoppers who enter through the main door. The area is outfitted with art, figurines, planters, glassware, accents, greenery and more. The merchandise will be changed out seasonally and will follow design trends.
Fans and lighting
The lighting selection includes outdoor porch lights to task lighting. In addition to chandeliers and statement pieces, the store offers novelty fixtures and vanity options. Shoppers looking for floor and desk lamps will find hundreds to choose from. You can also find speciality lighting, including under-cabinet mounts and spotlights.
SECOND FLOOR
Roll over/click on departments to learn more.
Dining room
From bistro sets to lengthy tables that will let even the largest families dine together, the store’s got them. It has more than 9,000 tables in stock. China cabinets, sideboards and dining chairs are available in a range of styles. In addition to wood chairs, there’s a wall of upholstered varieties and bar stools.
Living room
In the center of the second floor, it’s sofas, seating, side tables and coffee tables as far as the eye can see. In addition to a selection of leather pieces, shoppers will find find 125 accent chairs and 165 recliners. The living room vignettes are designed and accessorized with art, lighting, rugs and more. For every sleek-lined contemporary piece of furniture, there is a curvy counterpart (and every style in between).
Home theater
Here you can create a cozy home theater with movie-house-style seating and sectionals. Many of the seating options are motion features and have cupholders as well as consoles.
Bedrooms
There are 110 bedroom sets on display and sections for baby furniture, youth furniture, daybeds, sleepers and linens. The warehouse stocks more than 5,000 mattresses.
Design gallery
The design studio is staffed with professionals who will not only put a room of furniture together but will also help shoppers select flooring, backsplashes and countertops.
The goods
Nebraska Furniture Mart prides itself on offering something for every design style, be it mid-century, traditional, rustic or glam, and every budget. With thousands of sofas, recliners, tables, and rugs in stock, they have the merchandise to back it up.
We scouted the store for similar items in a range of prices. Here’s what we found.
Rugs
We narrowed our search to 5-by-8 rugs in the aqua family.
High: An abstract design from Loloi features hand-knotted craftsmanship using silk, wool and viscose. $1,989.99
Medium: This teal rug from Rizzy’s Technique collection is made with New Zealand wool. Artisans hand-carve a pattern in the solid colored rug, creating texture and dimension. $318.99
Low: A graphic twist pattern adds a shot of style to the Baja rug from Momeni, which is made of polypropylene and can be used indoors or out. $106.99
Lamps
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the lamp selection, so we focused on table lamps in stylish mercury glass.
High: If the shine of the crackled silver finish isn’t glam enough for you, peek inside the shade of this table lamp. The shade is lined in a gold metallic finish that casts a golden glow downward. $209.99
Medium: Oh, to be tall and skinny! Not only does this bottle-shaped lamp look good, it’s a workhorse, too. It would be just as home on a console or entry table as it would be atop a desk. $159.99
Low: The petite lamp adds sparkle and texture to a room with its rounded shape and neutral shade. $79.99
Mirrors
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the priciest of all? Any of these round metal accents can make a space seem bigger than it actually is if it’s placed in the right location.
High: A contemporary design in a golden finish, we can easily see this mirror above a mantel or as the showpiece on a gallery wall. $229
Medium: Dupont finished its metal mirror in a distressed sage color. $159.99
Low: Though this 35-inch mirror, which features cut-outs, may come in as our low-priced option, it ranks high on the style scale. $74.99
Accent chairs
You can play it safe and neutral with your sofa, but when it comes to an accent chair, make a statement. We looked for pieces in fun shapes and geometric prints.
High: The poppy print in orange and white isn’t the only playful part of this swivel chair. Check out the curves on this skirted piece. $1,299
Medium: The exposed wood, in a sleek lacquered gray, keeps this preppy navy-and-white upholstered chair from Sam Moore steeped in tradition. $559.99
Low: Talk about fun: This petite accent chair has flared arms, flared legs and funky fabric in a rainbow of colors. $299
Sofas
Shoppers will find a sea of sofas on the second floor of the store. Whether you’re looking to outfit your first apartment, your dream home or something in between, there’s an option in your price range. We found three tufted options.
High: Soft, supple, sophisticated: This velvet beauty from Hickory Chair is accented with bolster pillows and nailhead trim on the high arms. $3,379.99
Medium: With its Chesterfield design and shapley rolled arms, the Bespoke Linen Cigar Sofa is dressed to impress. The traditional style also features turned wood feet. $1,389.99
Low: The Southern Furniture Quincey Contemporary Gray Sofa showcases both detail and texture. $899.99
Bar carts
Some fill their bar carts with the ingredients for a co*cktail, while others style it with vignettes and accessories — either way, you’ll find several to choose from.
High: The two-tiered design from Hickory Chair was inspired by an antique hotel service cart and includes a silver-plated tray with handles. We have a hard time imagining that this heirloom-quality piece will ever go out of style. $2,068.99
Medium: A rolling bar cart in high-gloss lacquered royal blue makes a statement in any room. Play up the rich color with other bright accessories or let white pieces pop on the colorful background. $229.99
Low: Fashion meets function in this sleek chrome service piece. The top tier features a glass tray and the bottom has a mirror. $59.99
Trays
There are as many uses for trays as there are styles. Whether you use one as a tabletop centerpiece, a serving piece, to corral items together or to add a punch of color in a space, we’re of the opinion that you can never have too many.
High: A sleek silver finish square tray would work as well grounding a tablescape as it would keeping a countertop coffee station contained. We love the dainty feet on this one. $109.99
Medium: The oversized wooden square is intended as an ottoman tray, but its simplicity means it can work in just about any space. $74.99
Low: The wire-frame and fun French lettering will add personality to your next soiree. $21.99
Under $30
With everything from Viking appliances and state-of-the-art home theater equipment, it’s not hard to fantasize about spending big bucks and outfitting your home with top-of-the-line products while strolling through Nebraska Furniture Mart. But the store offers hundreds of items that will add function, fun or style to your life without having to rearrange your budget too much. Here are few we found for less than $30.
Drink it up: Le Creuset mug, $11.51 each
Pig out: Soap dish, $7.99
Heavy metal: Copper-style metal planter/bowl, $16.99
The nose knows: Scented Park Hill candle, $18.99
Make the call: Cork and gold iPhone 6 case, $22.99
Perfectly practical: Glass vase with metal frog, $14.99
Author: Jamie Knodel, Laura Jacobus, Maria Halkias
Editor: Laura Jacobus
Photos: Louis DeLuca
Graphics and Design: Layne Smith
Hilarious adventures inside D-FW's Nebraska Furniture Mart
On Saturday, I Snapped my first visit to Nebraska Furniture Mart, which was equal parts exciting and terrifying.
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