SPRING HILL — Shoppers will soon have a new place to browse for stainless-steel refrigerators, portable air conditioning units and Toshiba Satellite laptops.
Appliance and electronics retailer HHGregg Inc. is opening its first store in Hernando County, and will soon inhabit space vacated by bankrupt Circuit City in the Coastal Way Shopping Center on Cortez Boulevard.
"We sell a great selection of TVs, appliances, camcorders and computers at very, very competitive prices," said Jeff Pearson, vice president of marketing for HHGregg.
The Gregg family opened its first store in Indianapolis in 1995, selling outdoor grills, washing machines and refrigerators.
The company eventually added electronics and technology to its shelves and expanded its presence to nine states in the South and Midwest.
Today, HHGregg has more than 100 models of digital TVs and 400 types of appliances in stock. The sales staff is trained to answer questions about each one.
Pearson said the company places great importance on having a well-trained sales force.
The majority of the company's 3,500 employees work full time, and their training is extensive, with each associate receiving at least 200 hours per year, he said.
The store also seeks to differentiate itself by having a calm, welcoming atmosphere.
"There's not a lot of music blaring," Pearson said.
"Our stores are bright, with wide aisles, and products are easy to find."
In just over a dozen years, HHGregg has grown to 111 stores and plans to open its Spring Hill store, and several others in the Tampa Bay region, sometime this fall.
Shary Lyssy Marshall can be reached at slmarshall.sptimes@gmail.com.
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