Furniture retailers see strength in having competitors nearby

Auto malls do it.

Food courts do it.

Now furniture sellers cluster.Where shopping center tenants once demanded non-compete clauses to keep competitors far away, retailers are pulling an about face and welcoming sellers of like products to the neighborhood.

"It's no coincidence we clustered our stores the way we did," says Jeanne Baxter, of Baxter Enterprises, Inc.

The company operates Ethan Allen Home Interiors and Bassett Furniture Direct at the Sierra Home Center on South Virginia Street.

"We looked at the success auto malls have."

Also within a stone's throw of Sierra Home Center is the giant new R.C.Wiley Home Furnishings, located at the Damonte Ranch development.

Mattress World, owned by Dick Bell, a coowner of Bell Furniture, Inc., which operates two Reno Gallery of Furniture stores, will open at Damonte Ranch next spring.

Look at how shopping centers have evolved, says Baxter.

Once, each had a major anchor store.

Now, a new fashion mall in Las Vegas has every single department store in that complex.

"We welcome consumers who can park and have a wide array to choose from.

If I could, I'd have 12 furniture stores here," she says."This market is growing and has room for everyone."

While the new model touts the consumer convenience factor of close competition, each individual business still wants customers to choose it.

"We're all fighting to be the most service oriented," says Bell.

"It's all about being aggressive and fearless in advertising."