An Ooltewah man plans to open a pop-up furniture store on Chattanooga's Southside.
The business, Huck and Peck, is to open in the fall in a commercial building at 1920 Chestnut St. across from Finley Stadium, said owner Michael Turner.
"It won't be open every day," he said. "We don't plan to be open constantly. We'll open up for a while, [close], then come back after a while."
Turner, who started his business last year, began operating at small antique and furniture markets. He also has a website at www.huckandpeck.com, and he has flexible warehouse space off Amnicola Highway.
The company offers "medium-high to higher end" priced furniture, Turner said. Also, the store will offer higher-end, hand-knotted Persian rugs, the businessman said.
"We don't want to be Rooms to Go and Ashley Furniture," he said. "We want to offer a product people are reaching for and put it within reach."
He expects to employ six to 10 people at any one time at the 12,000-square-foot site he's leasing from Chattanooga developer John Wise.
Turner, who said he has been in the furniture business for more than 21 years either in the wholesale side or retail imports or exports, plans to eventually have numerous locations in Tennessee and North Carolina.
The Huck and Peck name goes back to his grandparents, who sported those as nicknames, he said.
Turner said he likes the Southside location because of the new housing and other amenities in the downtown area.
"Hundreds of apartments are coming to that area," he said. "It's the right area if you have the right product."
Kim White, who heads the nonprofit downtown redevelopment group River City Co., said the Southside is gaining the housing density that attracts amenities and supports different kinds of retail.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318.