Knoxville store moving to Lenoir City

Becca J. G. Godwin-news-herald.net

An upscale home décor store that opened in Knoxville a decade ago is closing up shop there — and moving its wares to Lenoir City.

Jen Woods, owner of Mango’s Décor & Co, decided to make a change and follow her customers. She estimates about 50 percent of the store’s business comes from Farragut … with plenty also coming from Tellico Village, Rarity Bay, Wind River and Tennessee National.

The move will also give Mango’s significantly more space. The new spot in Eaton Crossroads — where Highways 321, 70 and 11 come together in a hub — is more than twice the size of the current store in Knoxville’s Bearden neighborhood.

‘THE WHOLE THING’

On a recent afternoon, Woods stood in front of the frameonly structure that will become Mango’s and described what’s to come. If her ideas had been captured for a renovation show, a 3D rendering dropping in different elements would’ve accompanied her words.

The front side will feature big glass windows. The warehouse will have several roll-up doors. Inside, a wall will divide a big, nice section with a less polished area for overflow items. They’ll incorporate a partial build-out for an upstairs storage area.

“So that’s my plan. We’ll see, it might change, but that’s kind of what I want to do,” Woods said.

She’s especially excited about the 6,000-square-foot layout, which will allow her to carry bigger items such as rugs, mattresses and bed frames — in addition to seating, lighting, accessories and art.

“In our other location, I haven’t been able to really show a space because it’s just a real long, narrow 2,800 square feet. Where here, I can say, ‘Hey, here’s a dining room table with the chairs, with the console, with … you know, show the whole thing,” Woods said. “I’ve always struggled in (the Knoxville) space being able to do that.”

THIRD- GENERATION FURNITURE

Woods has been in the furniture industry for 21 years, and that’s not even counting her childhood days in the furniture store that her dad opened in the ‘80s in Brentwood.

“We’re a big family furniture company. So, we’re third-generation furniture,” she said. “My grandfather had furniture stores and was in the furniture industry for a long time in Nashville. And then my dad has done everything. He’s been a rep to furniture stores to now … he’s an importer.”

Her dad’s business only imports mango wood furniture, a solid hardwood that inspired the name of Woods’ business. She worked for her dad for 11 years before starting Mango’s, and about four months later, her sister opened one in Chattanooga.

Woods’ store manager, Anna Oglesby, has been with her for nine years and also feels like family. They will leave the Knoxville location at the end of August, and hope to open in Lenoir City in September.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

The store will be located at 145 Highway 70W, a property that was bought by Arlin Gurley, of Gurley Construction, two years ago. He has lived six miles up the road for 24 years, and one day his son suggested he get the site and do something with it.

Gurley listened and bought the land, which was a low-lying floodplain that required about 480 loads of dirt to bring the two acres up before anything could be constructed on it. Now one completed building houses a roofing company and a third is in progress of being leased out.

Woods learned about the available spot through Gurley’s daughter, who worked with her. Gurley feels it was meant to be, especially as someone who prefers mom-andpop style family businesses over big franchises.

“It’s a different atmosphere when you shop that way. It’s just good,” Gurley said. “And I think people get … more in touch with their product. They get more in touch with the merchant. It becomes like a relationship, doesn’t it?”

Woods agreed. “Yeah, it does, absolutely,” she said. “I feel like I’ve got a lot of close customers that have been with me for 10 years.”