NILES — A former South Bend business has found a new home in Niles.

Michiana Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. business owner Steve Gillispie said he hopes to open the new location at 2439 S. 11th St. sometime in May. An open house and ribbon cutting will be announced in the weeks to come.

Gillispie said his business had outgrown the 4,800 square-foot location at 50880 IN-933 in South Bend. The new location, the former site of the Furniture Find.com, is 34,000 square-feet, offering the opportunity for Gillispie to better showcase carrier brand products, including furnaces, air conditioners and indoor air quality products, such as humidifiers, energy-saving air duct sealing and water heaters. Multiple repair and servicing operations are also offered through the business.

Customers who visit the new location will be able to browse a 13,000-square-foot show room, talk with technicians in the dispatch center and choose from an expanded equipment parts department. A customer refreshment area, will also offer popcorn and coffee for shoppers.

“We want to build a place to where our customers can come here and be interactive with the equipment that we have to offer them,” Gillispie said.

Incorporating technology was also a goal in Gillispie’s design of the new storefront. He said dozens of monitors will be stationed around the store to explain different features of the equipment.  Out in the field, technicians use iPads to access customer information and their purchase history.

Gillispie is a Niles native who bought the business in 2006 in Niles, when it was called Garwood Heating. He changed the name to Michiana Heating & Air Conditioning in 2010 when he received licensing to serve customers in Indiana as well as Michigan and relocated the business to South Bend.

While Gillispie was the sole operator of the business for several weeks, he quickly brought his two sons, Brent and Jon Gillispie, on board to help run the business. Since then, business has steadily grown and Michiana Heating & Air Conditioning now serves customers from south of South Haven to New Carlisle, Indiana.

“Here we are,” Gillispie said. “We have really expanded the business over the past 12 years and we have done it on honesty and integrity and the right things that I think a business should build its foundation on.”

Looking back, Gillispie feels he has accomplished just that. He credited his years of experience and knowledge about equipment service and operation for helping to grow his business. Others who know Gillispie agree. He has won the Carrier President’s Award four times, which recognizes industry leadership, expertise and customer satisfaction.

While Brent and Jon still help to run the business, Steve has since hired a total of about 22 employees to keep up with customer demand. He said he plans to hire an additional three dispatchers to help out at the new store location.

In addition to customer features, Steve said the new location will also offer a state of the art training center for his employees. He said his employees have an informational meeting every week to discuss new products, customer satisfaction or any other pertinent topics to the business.

Since September, Gillispie has been working to renovate the building, which has been vacant for the past 10 years.

While he looks forward to serving Michigan and Indiana customers alike, Gillispie said he was happy for the opportunity to return to Niles.

“I thought it was a big deal to move back to Niles,” Gillispie said. “This is my hometown. I want to support Niles and be involved.”