Bob’s Discount Furniture has opened its first combined retail store and distribution center near Cleveland, Ohio, as part of a strategy to speed up fulfillment and reduce transport costs.
The facility, launched in February, places a retail showroom inside a distribution center. According to chief operating officer Ramesh Murthy, the model allows the company to bring inventory closer to customers while improving order execution across sales channels.
The Ohio location will support regional distribution centers and multiple stores, enabling faster deliveries and more localized inventory storage. Bob’s currently operates eight stores in Ohio, making the state a strong testing ground for the concept.
The site in Solon also benefits from proximity to major transport routes, including Interstate 480 and other key corridors.
For now, the company will monitor the performance of the Ohio facility before deciding whether to replicate the format elsewhere.
Bob’s is also expanding its distribution network in the Southeast. In March, the company began construction of a new 800,000 sq ft facility in Macon, Georgia, expected to become operational in 2027. The site will supply around 800 store floors across the region.
Macon will become Bob’s seventh distribution center in the US and will serve as a regional hub to support the company’s expansion in the Southeast.
The retailer is investing in facilities with high ceilings, extensive racking systems, more than 100 loading docks and technology that enables faster inventory movement and real-time tracking.
At the same time, Bob’s is facing higher costs linked to tariffs and broader logistics disruption. Murthy said the industry is dealing with a combination of supply chain pressure, rising costs and a difficult housing market.
