Construction under way for Moses Lake Aaron's store

Business expected to open in November

MOSES LAKE - An Atlanta-based national chain of sales and lease-ownership stores is building a new 8,300-square-foot business in Moses Lake.

Aaron's Sales and Lease Ownership will likely open in late November on Valley Road, between Sherman Williams Paint and Midas, and will offer a variety of furniture, electronics and appliances, said Rohnn Lampi, owner and president of Aspen Way Development.

Lampi's company is the real estate holding company owning and leasing Aaron's stores, while operating 13 locations in six states, he said. Nationwide, there's about 1,570 Aaron's stores total, he added.

"We're a rapidly growing company and we're always looking for good markets," Lampi said. "Moses Lake was just a natural market to fit within the footprint."

There's also Aaron's stores in Wenatchee, Kennewick, Yakima and Spokane, he said.

Customers can buy products or enter into a lease agreement for all items, Lampi said.

The store's leasing program gives customers the chance to "try before they buy" and it's not necessary for customers to have good credit, he said.

Customers can return the merchandise at any time, which is an advantage to people who may not want a long-term financial commitment, he said.

Most of the lease agreements last one year, but two-year leases are available for bigger ticket items, Lampi said.

Groups typically leasing include members of the military, younger people starting out who haven't established credit, people who have experienced credit problems or those who want to try an item before purchase, he said.

Aaron's sells and leases McTavish brand furniture, including dining room sets, living room groups and bedroom groups, washers, dryers, refrigerators and ranges.

Electronic items include wide-screen high definition televisions, projection televisions and desktop and laptop computers.

Riding lawnmowers will be available in the spring, he said.

Aaron's typically delivers items within a 30-mile radius of the store, Lampi said.

The store will open with five new full-time employees and Lampi said he hopes to add between two to three more employees within a year.

He said he expects the employees will be hired from the Moses Lake area.

Positions include a general manager, a sales manager, a customer accounts manager and product technicians which are primarily delivery drivers, Lampi said.