Largest of 14 new hhgregg Stores Opening in Orland Park

Appliance and electronics retailer would not be opening a new store in Orland Park this week without the failure of other retailers such as Circuit City and Linens-N-Things.

“We are coming to Chicago because we were able to get real estate at reasonable prices,” said Jeff Pearson, vice president of marketing for the Indianapolis-based retailer of electronics and appliances. Attempts to enter the Chicago market earlier were thwarted by high rents and few desirable locations, he said.

Hhgregg will officially open 14 stores at 3 p.m. Thursday after a 2:45 p.m. ribbon cutting, including the Orland Park store at 1385 Orland Park Place Dr. at Orland Park Place Mall. All of the stores are taking space vacated by other retailers.

In this case, hhgregg is moving into the former Sports Authority store, which moved recently into the former Circuit City location at 94^th Avenue and 159^th Street in Orland Hills.

Pearson said that hhgregg, which was founded in 1955, was able to finally crack the Chicago marketplace when big box locations started becoming available thanks to the sour economy.

“We were able to take advantage of an opportunity that exists because some retailers were unable to make a go of it,” he said.

Pearson said hhgregg will succeed because “consumers like our retail model. We have fantastic prices, a wide selection and a better level of service” than rival retailers.

“A lot of retailers believe in self-serve,” he said. “We believe in associates who know about all of our products and who can help consumers make an informed decision on what to buy.”

Approximately 700 people have been hired to staff the new Chicago-area stores, he said. All of them have undergone a comprehensive training program and are regularly updated on products, he said.

Pearson said each store will have more than 100 digital televisions and 500 appliances in stock every day.

Pearson said a grand opening sale will run from Sept. 15-24 with low prices, special financing options and a chance to win prizes including a Frigidaire Stainless Steel appliance package, a 55-inch LG 3D TV or a Magellan GPS.

He said hhgregg also has a newly designed website that consumers can use to search and compare products as well as make online purchases.

The 14 openings on Thursday will make Chicago hhgregg’s largest market, and another six stores are expected to open before Christmas including one at Ford City Mall on Chicago’s Southwest Side.

Pearson said the Orland Park store will be 44,000 square feet, which is the largest one opening Thursday. Other stores are opening in Joliet, Naperville, and Merrillville, Ind. Store hours are Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

With the addition of the Chicago-area stores, hhgregg will operate 204 stores in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.