more news on city furniture in the villages
 

from the daily commercial:
Major furniture retailer plans 2 stores in The Villages - Daily Commercial: Money

I hope the new retailer hires the former employees of the two stores. Sales, service and especially the delivery crew have been wonderful.

My daughter served some of the Southern Lifestyle folks yesterday (one was retiring). From the sound of it, they don't think they're going to have jobs when the new owners take over. I hope that's not the case. These are good people who have done a good job.

I spoke with several salespeople at Showcase Direct this weekend and they told me they will be offered positions with City Furniture and some will continue working for The Villages in some capacity.

My sales person Chris at Showcase direct told me she was going to be working for City Furniture when she no longer has a position with Showcase. I certainly hope so she was great at helping us with our furniture choices a few months ago.

I, personally, cannot imagine a company spending this sort of money to buy a business in TV and then letting all the staff go. If they do that they will have to start hunting around for replacement staff and training new staff.

I would imagine they will keep the existing staff and gradually weed out those they don't think should be selling furniture.

But, this is just my opinion and you know what someone's opinion is worth:icon_wink:

there is always going to be change. nothing is permanent and we all adjust to the new reality.

I was surprised with my daughter's comments. I had assumed (and we know what assume means) that the employees would just transfer over to the new company -- only makes good business sense, right?

Maybe this group was not being offered a place for a reason? Who knows. Or maybe they were just unhappy that they wouldn't be working for Southern Lifestyles and possible loss of seniority?

Tell your daughter to just wait and see what happens. Been through many changes in the corporate world and the first emotion is fear of what is going to happen to "me". When everything shakes out she will more than likely be fine and have a job - I certainly hope so.

Red's daughter served (waitress) those who were lamenting losing their job. She doesn't work for the furniture company. But let's hope all employees are treated fairly.

is it not possible that city furniture has there own staff who might be willing to relocate to work in the villages stores? such transfers would provide sales associates already trained in the city furniture way and familiar with all of their sales/return/repair policies and procedures. there is comfort in
corporate loyalty.

Relocation of employees is prohibitively expensive, especially for floor sales assistants. Also, where would they get this relocated staff?, I have not heard that they are closing a store to come here, only that they are adding TV store to their list of stores they now own.

Unfortunately, I know too much about take overs of businesses, and if I am correct they are likely to keep the sales staff they want and need, they will bring in their own CFO to make sure the books are in order and he will probably only stay for a month or two and then hand that over to a reliable trusted person. They will probably bring in a high level sales person to teach the sales staff in their own way how they want their product sold, and they may well have managers in their organization who wish to relocate (but I doubt that), but I think they will keep people from this store to manage it for them.

The major problem with this type of sale is FEAR, people will get into the break room and say they have heard this that and the other, and none of it will be true. Believe me NO ONE knows what is going to happen except the people from TV who are handling the sale from this end, and the people from City who are handling it from their end. Unfortunately it is a waiting game and it is so stressful for the employees involved, I really feel for them.

I would add one more thing - DON'T talk to customers about the changes. There will be many people who want to discuss it etc. etc., with the sales staff. Don't get drawn in, you do not want anyone to hear you talking about TV or City at this time.

New owners need to realize that "loyalty to brand" is not the only thing that established customers come back for, knowing and trusting the sales people is just as important.

I guess I'll never get to cash in my no use no loose warranty

a salesperson told me yesterday that the no use no loose warranties are still going to be honored. She also told me she is staying on at the new store.

Exceptional employees are generally retained by the new owners. But this is also a great opportunity to weed out the under performers. a good manager can easily spot those that are less than desirable. So, those of you who are in the exceptional category need not fear. The others, good luck in your job search. Just hard fact!

Yes, but, are the exceptional employees going to make as much money working for City Furniture compared to Southern Lifestyles?

I just made my delivery appointment for 10/14 with my salesperson Chris at Showcase Direct. I feel confident that my furniture will be delivered as ordered. Chris was great helping me choose my L/R set and D/R. I'm looking forward to the same service with City Furniture as she will be working for them when they open.

My concern for the young employees with children, is whether their children will still be able to attend TV schools! The money is definitely a factor, but loss of the school to their children would be awful, especially as this change is none of their fault.

An excellent summary of the situation, in my opinion. If you work there now and want to stay there, be quiet and don't spread unfounded rumors based on your fear of losing your job.

Madelaine is giving you all very good advice.

It is amazing to me how we all jump, leap to conclusions on here.

The benefit of attending the Villages Charter School goes with the location of the business within the Villages not the employer, as I understand it .

I know when looking for information at Sun trust one day the Manager told me she lived outside the Villages but loved working there due to the school benefit.

That is my understanding. The employer (City) pays the lease but the benefit is provided (by TV) as a perk with the SPACE for lease.

Thanks for this info. I don't have youngsters in this area so have no idea what the employment/school arrangements are.

Sadly, the schools are filling up. The high school now is for Villages' employees only -- only the senior class has kids that do not work directly for one of the developer's companies. Kids that have gone through the TV schools are having to switch to other local high schools because their parents do not work for TV but just on TV property (think banks other than Citizens First, stores other than the Mercantile, restaurants, construction and landscape workers). The Pre-K and Day Care have a waiting list of over 30 kids. And, now comes the rumor part, this policy is beginning to trickle down to the middle and elementary schools as well.

I'm not doubting what you say Red but I know many people who work at TVRH who have kids at all levels of the schools. Is this a new policy? TVRH is not developer owned just commercial leased spaced.

Russ, this started this year. It was announced last year. Jess was warned that Aaron could go from Pre-K to middle school but unless the high school expanded, he would have to transfer to a local high school. However, with 37 kids in line to get into the Pre-K program, she had to find something else, anyway.

OK maybe my friend's kids are grandfathered in. They are freshman and junior this year.

With the way the middle school was so hugely expanded this year to accommodate many more students, to me it seems like they would expand the high school too, so they can stay.

As a parent, high school and teenage years are when it's most important to have the kids in a school like this, where every kid is known by having come up thru the grade and middle schools, and their parents are involved and available to the school and teachers, and to parents who want to know their kids' friends have supervision.

1. The furniture store was bought out
2. The employees will not loose their jobs unless warranted, but in every takeover even the good ones aren't always valued.
3. Their children will still qualify for the Charter School because they pay rent to The Villages.
4. The high school currently has enough room for at least 250 more students, they did some internal renovations over the summer. They have about 750 students currently

From friends in the know!:BigApplause: