Bob’s Discount Furniture just opened its first store in Bowie, and they’re all about low prices and keeping employees happy. They even donated $2,500 to local charities at the grand opening!
Here are the highlights:
- Bob’s Discount Furniture opened their 169th store at the Free State Shopping Center in Bowie.
- The inauguration was attended by local elected officials and Bob’s management team.
- Founded in 1991, Bob’s is one of the fastest growing furniture retailers in the U.S., with 169 stores in 24 states.
- Bob’s maintains low prices year-round without special sales or discount events.
- Each store features a cafe with complimentary refreshments.
- The Bowie location’s management team consists mostly of internal hires and promotions.
- 70% of management hires at Bob’s are promoted from within the company.
- Employees shared positive experiences of career growth and loyalty within the company.
- Bob’s donated $2,500 to local non-profits during the store’s opening ceremony.
- Bob’s donates nearly $3 million yearly to local nonprofits and schools.
- This is the first furniture store to open in Bowie in recent years, located at the former Office Depot site.
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Bob’s Comes to Bowie
Bob's Discount Furniture opened their 169th store at the Free State Shopping Center in Bowie on Friday.
Accompanied by a large delegation of local elected officials, managers and employees of Bob's Discount Furniture inaugurated the opening of their first Bowie location.
Founded in 1991 by Bob Kaufman and headquartered in Manchester, Connecticut, Bob’s is one of the fastest growing furniture retailers in the United States. They boast 169 stores in 24 states, up from 42 in 2011.
Bob's features no special sales or discount events, but states they maintain the lowest possible prices year-round. Bob's stores each feature a cafe with complimentary coffee, candy, cookies, and ice cream.
The management team for the Bowie location introduced key personnel, most of them internal hires and lateral promotions. Bob's says 70% of their management hires are promoted internally.
Employees introduced themselves, describing similar experiences of working their way up and staying with the company which they described as valuing fun, family, and two-way employer-worker loyalty.
One employee, a 2015 immigrant from Afghanistan described starting his US career with the federal government and taking a job at Bob's for additional income before transitioning full-time to the furniture store.
"They take good care of their people and it shows from the number of employees that stay," the Bowie employee stated.
At the ribbon cutting, store managers offered $2,500 check donations to the Bowie Food Pantry and the Central Maryland Meals on Wheels. Representatives for the non-profits thanked Bob's and expressed enthusiasm for ongoing partnerships with the store.
In total, Bob’s donates nearly $3 million yearly to local nonprofits and schools where their stores are located.
Bob's is the first furniture store to open in Bowie in recent years. It is located at 15510 Annapolis Rd, the site of the former Office Depot.