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DOWAGIAC — There’s a new furniture store in town.

ZSmart Furniture, 56153 M-51 S, Dowagiac, opened its doors to customers for the first time last week.

The new company — with additional locations in Niles, Benton Harbor, Sturgis, and Grand Rapids — offers electronics, kitchen appliances, mattresses, and more. Jessica DeVos and husband, Dan, are corporate managers and run the store. 

“We’re family-owned,” DeVos said. “We go to the shows ourselves and pick out the products. It’s all handpicked and higher quality. You’re going to get a better service from us.”

The building was the former home of a Sears Hometown Store, which closed in 2019 after 22 years of business. The DeVoses currently rent the building. 

According to ZSmart Dowagiac manager Chad Yancy, the company’s financing program sets it apart from other furniture stores.

“We aren’t rent-to-own,” Yancy said. “We’re finance first. Customers will be going through a bank. That’s going to be the first thing that we’re going to be offering that other lease-to-own properties won’t be offering.”

Yancy said the company will always offer same-day delivery and low pricing on all name-brand products.

“We buy from authorized dealers and warehouses and back up all of our warranties,” Yancy said. “We’re trying to give the public lower prices and easier access to furniture.”

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic slowed the opening process, according to assistant manager Mike Bishop.

“Moving everything over here and trying to get new product has been more difficult,” Bishop said. “Prices have been raised on things, so we’re paying more for things than what we were before COVID.”

According to DeVos, the reception has been positive so far.

“A lot of people are walking in and checking it out,” she said. “A lot of people are talking about how we made the building more modern, which is what we’re striving to do.”

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the DeVoses are franchise owners of ZSmart. They are corporate managers. It also incorrectly identified the DeVoses as owners of the building where ZSmart Furniture resides in Dowagiac. They currently rent the property. We regret the errors and are happy to correct them.