Emma Dejong

Tucked in an alley behind McDonald’s and Zesto, A to Z Furniture decided it was time for a new, less hidden location. As of Oct. 20, the business is now located on Main Avenue, just south of Skinner’s Pub.

“It’s a better location, and a lease was open,” owner and operator Kelan Bludhorn said. “We did it to benefit the business. The main thing is that it’s visible.”

A grand opening is being held the week of Nov. 16 to Nov. 20, and everything will be marked down 10 to 50 percent.

A to Z Furniture is known for selling both new and used furniture at a lower price. They also offer delivery and repair services, oftentimes free of charge.

Along with buying furniture, people use A to Z Furniture as a way to get rid of unwanted items.

“We buy locally from people that are moving, downsizing or getting new stuff,” Bludhorn said. “We pay you as much as we can afford, as long as we can still resell it.”

Much of the business comes from college students, as it caters to a lower budget.

“If we see 20 people a day, maybe 9 or 10 are college students,” Bludhorn said. “We service the whole Brookings area.”

Boss Regis, a former student and president of Royalty Records, is a frequent customer who has bought multiple items from A to Z Furniture, including a ping-pong table.

“I pop in there at least once a month to see the best deals,” Regis said. “I usually like to stop in to say ‘hi’ when I’m in the area because of the friendly people.”

Tony Martin, a fifth-year senior majoring in health promotion, agrees with Regis, stressing how generous the staff is.

“Kelan’s a really nice guy, and he goes out of his way to help me,” Martin said.

The word-of-mouth advertising method has been a major factor in gaining customers, but Bludhorn thinks the new location will attract people who just drive by. There has already been an increase in traffic, Bludhorn said.

“It’s in a better location because Main Avenue is better shopping,” Regis said. “The other one, people could barely see it; it was hidden. This one’s out there.”

In Regis’ opinion, A to Z Furniture is for everybody.

“They have anything you would need for furniture in the dorms, or even an apartment and house,” Regis said. “I’d tell somebody to shop at A to Z Furniture because they have the best prices and good quality.”