Abode Home to become the Venue at Abode

Aug. 9, 201011:10 a.m.

abodeWICHITA — It’s a tough market to try and lease a 10,000-square-foot building, let alone sell it, so Bill Jackson and his son, Josh, are turning their Abode Home space into the Venue at Abode.

“I don’t even want to admit it, but a couple of years ago I started thinking if this furniture thing doesn’t work out, it would make a great venue,” Josh Jackson says.

So when the furniture store on Douglas just east of Old Town closed about a month ago, he says they decided, “Let’s give it a shot.”

Through the years, Abode hosted various events.

To do it full time, though, Josh Jackson says he has to make a few changes.

For starters, he’s adding bathrooms. A lot of them.

There also will be an expanded prep area for caterers.

“Obviously, we need to beef up our air conditioner,” Josh Jackson says, referring to a steamy fundraising event that was held at the space Saturday.

That event had been booked for months, but there won’t be any more for several weeks until the space is reconfigured.

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , Filed under Real estate | Comments

Picture Framing & More to close in Old Town Square

May 26, 20107:38 p.m.

WICHITA — Brett Osburn is closing his Picture Framing & More in Old Town Square after almost six years in business, but he’s not blaming the economy.

“The economy is definitely not helping out,” he says.

The bigger problem, Osburn says, is Old Town.

His business has “never been what I hoped for.”

The store’s average ticket is good, Osburn says, but he doesn’t see enough customers.

“That’s been the No. 1 problem since Day 1,” he says.

“I don’t get the sense that people out east (or) out west are coming down.”

Even though Old Town boasts a number of unique businesses, Osburn says, he’s not sure most Wichitans even know they’re there.

“I don’t think a lot of Wichitans are using the area or even know what’s down here,” he says.

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , Filed under Old Town, Retail | Comments

Abode Home to close this summer

April 9, 201011:10 a.m.

WICHITA — Not quite six years after trying to bring business to downtown, Bill Jackson is closing his Abode Home.

“We’ve got a lot of bummed people,” Jackson says. “We tried for six years and just absolutely could not make it work.”

When Jackson chose to open his contemporary furnishing store just east of Old Town at 1330 E. Douglas, a lot of people questioned if the concept would work there.

A focus group, though, convinced Jackson that the store could be successful.

“They thought downtown would be a good place for people east and west to come shop,” he says.

That didn’t happen, though, so Jackson will close sometime in July.

“We finally had to say it wasn’t going to work.”

Part of the problem has been the economy, Jackson says.

He belongs to an association of furniture retailers, and he says they’re all reporting poor sales.

“Absolutely none of them have made any money in the last four or five years,” he says. “It’s just been a horrible time in the furniture business for the last 10 years.”

Nothing will change with Jackson’s Furniture Options furniture rentals or his Marriott ExecuStay corporate housing.

“For now, we’ve got a lot of other things to focus on that are profitable . . . that we just need to work on and grow,” Jackson says.

Also, Abode Commercial Interiors will stay in business and have a showroom in the Furniture Options building at 1336 E. Douglas. ACI will handle any issues related to products or warranties on items purchased from Abode Home after the store closes.

The experience with Abode Home hasn’t changed how Jackson feels about downtown.

“We believe in downtown Wichita awfully a lot. We’re a firm believer.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , Filed under Closings, Downtown, Retail | Comments