David Holmes/Contributor
Once is not enough for Moe’s Home Collection.
The purveyor of quality home furnishings is expecting to open its new Langford store by the end of August while continuing to operate its main downtown outlet.
“Our new Langford store will be about 5,000 square feet, so it’s going to be a pretty good size,” said franchise owner Curtis Vertefeuille.
“It’s going to have a much different look than our downtown store, how it’s going to be situated. It will have a very modern, clean and fresh design.”
Moe’s Home opened its original store in Victoria six years ago in a compact (2,000-square-foot) space on Fisgard Street in Chinatown. Less than two years later, an opportunity presented itself, allowing the firm to make the short move to its present 10,000-square-foot two-story space at 1630 Store St.
The new space is located close to the corner of Peatt Road and Goldstream Avenue in Langford, in the distinctive Tallwood 1 development. This 12-storey mass timber-designed mixed-use rental tower combines a ground-floor commercial space with rental apartments.
The first Moe’s Home Collection store opened in Vancouver in 1986 and has since opened outlets across North America and even as far afield as Kuwait City, Kuwait.
“I worked with Moe’s in Vancouver for more than 10 years before I decided to move to the Island six years ago to open a store of my own. Right before I left them, they said why don’t you open it as a Moe’s? I was sort of a test franchise for them, and it must have worked as I think we’re up to 12 or 13 now,” Vertefeuille said.
Providers for the home of everything but major appliances, Moe’s Home operates with a unique business model as everything they sell is made specifically for them – meaning the expansive product line offered can only be bought through the franchise.
“The West Shore is a very young community with families just starting out. As we can offer a range of entry-level products to fit any budget, they can purchase quality without having to go to the Big Box stores,” explained Andrew Harris, manager of the new Langford store.
“When you consider the amount of building going on in the West Shore, we can accommodate customers living the condo lifestyle. Really, we have products for customers living in everything from studio apartments to mansions.”
Despite the convenience of the online world, Moe’s is a firm believer in the value of a brick-and-mortar store.
“It’s important for people to come down and touch and feel the product. The showroom is still very important to our customers,” Vertefeuille said.
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