WILKES-BARRE TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Ashley HomeStore will be moving from its old location on Mundy Street to the old H. H. Gregg building across from the Wyoming Valley Mall.
Shoppers should look to see the new store opening in the next month.
Ashley HomeStore was one of the businesses destroyed by the tornado that ripped through Wilkes-Barre Township. Ashley HomeStore owner James Everett didn't want to waste any time getting the store back open.
"Since (the tornado), we were looking for a place to stay," Everett said. "For us, to rebuild where we were would take about a year and I didn't want to leave the market in Wilkes-Barre that long."
Everett is not only renting the former H.H. Gregg, but he's also renting a store to the right and two stores to the left.
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"Here, I could have up to 49,000 square feet and we need that much space for furniture," Everett said.
There are still a number of businesses damaged by the tornado that have yet to reopen, like TJ Maxx, Panera Bread, and Barnes & Noble.
"I'm waiting for Barnes and Noble to open back up, personally, because there's a lot of books and collectibles I get there," Lillian Owens of Shickshinny said.
Newswatch 16 caught up with some shoppers who said they're ready for more stores in the Arena Hub Shopping Center to open back up.
"I"m actually really happy to see that they're really starting to get going on these buildings and fixing them," Hannah Owens of Shickshinny said.
Everett will be able to bring all of his employees from his destroyed store to his new location. He said the Wilkes-Barre Township location is his flagship store.
"We have deep roots here," Everett said. "We have a lot of customers that we worked with for many years. All of our employees are family. They live here."
The first section of the Ashley HomeStore should be open by October 1. Many of the other stores damaged by the tornado plan to be open by the holiday shopping season.