Ashley Opens First Standalone Store in Laos in Vientiane

I-Furniture Co. Ltd has opened a new Ashley showroom in Vientiane, Laos, with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony held earlier this month, according to an Ashley Furniture Industries announcement dated October 20. The company describes it as the first standalone Ashley store in the country.

What happened

The 5,942 sq. ft. store sits inside KokKok Mega Mall on Asean Road in the Chanthabouly District. Guests at the event included executives from Koloa Group and KokKok Mega Mall, along with I-Furniture's COO, Kim Han Ju. I-Furniture already operates an Ashley Gallery in the wider region.

The store uses Ashley's 7.0 store concept and carries bedroom, dining, upholstery, leather, home office, youth bedroom, recliner and mattress lines, plus a bedding gallery featuring Ashley Sleep and Nectar mattresses. Kim Han Ju said the company wants to "bring the number one selling furniture store brand closer to our country's customers."

The numbers

• Showroom size: 5,942 sq. ft.
• Approximate staff: 12 people
• Ashley footprint cited: more than 1,100 locations in over 75 countries

What it means for you

• Retailers: Operators in Southeast Asia may find the 7.0 store layout and Ashley's product categories a useful reference for how the brand is merchandising its newer formats.
• Reps: Sales teams covering Laos may want to note the new showroom and the stated focus on Ashley Sleep and Nectar mattresses.
• Manufacturers: The announcement describes I-Furniture as the exclusive authorized licensee and operator of Ashley in Laos, which may be relevant to anyone tracking licensing arrangements in the market.

What to watch

The announcement does not give timelines for further openings in Laos or the region. Hours were listed as Monday through Friday 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and weekends 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., and promotions are being shared through Ashley Furniture Laos on Facebook.