American Home Furniture to join Whole Foods in new Carlisle shopping center

Alaina Mencinger, Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
·3 min read

Apr. 21—Visitors to Carlisle Crossing will soon be able to leave with a bag of groceries and a mattress — or couch, chair, or dresser. American Home Furniture & Mattress, a New Mexican-owned and -operated furniture store that has served the area for more than 80 years, will be moving to the new shopping center on the corner of Carlisle and Indian School.

The new location, at 2100 Carlisle NE, will neighbor an under-development Whole Foods Market in the area. Whole Foods is moving across the street from 2103 Carlisle NE to a new, approximately 45,000 square foot space.

A map from Base 5 Retail Group shows that space for a drive-thru and a small multi-tenant retail space are also included in the property.

The furniture store's future home is just blocks away from its current spot at 3535 Menaul NE — a building that the store has occupied for about 60 years.

But American Home Furniture & Mattress President and CEO Kenton Van Harten said it's time for an update.

"It's just a refreshing," Van Harten said. "It's still gonna be the same people, the same quality service, the same quality product that we've provided for 87 years, but just making it a better shopping experience."

American Home Furniture's lease on the property is expiring at the end of the year. The new property is smaller — clocking in at 65,000 square feet of indoor shopping and 8,000 square feet of outdoor space, compared to the 100,000 square feet of the Menaul location — and will feature a more contemporary design. The Menaul location, which was built in the 1960s, has few windows and is relatively dark, Van Harten said, but the new storefront will be well-lit by expansive windows.

"Basically the entire storefront is going to be almost all glass," Van Harten said. "It'll be very bright, very airy, very inviting."

The furniture store is shrinking from three stories to just one. But Van Harten said the change will make for a more seamless shopping experience.

"It's easier to shop when you come in the door," Van Harten said. "If I'm looking for living room furniture, I can see it's off to the left. If I'm looking for mattresses, I can see it's in the back right corner. On three floors, it's kind of all over the place."

Crime was another reason for the move. Van Harten said there were several car and catalytic converter thefts at the Menaul location, which he said made both employees and customers uncomfortable. Locks were put on the bathroom doors due to drug use in the store.

Van Harten said that while the Carlisle location is just minutes away from their current spot, it feels like a safer area.

"It's just on the other side of the freeway, but it feels like a whole different world," Van Harten said.

The property at 2100 Carlisle NE used to be a Kmart. But the building has already been gutted to just a few walls and part of the roof, Van Harten said, with plans to make an almost entirely new structure.

"The whole center is brand new," Van Harten said. "Whole Foods is building from the ground up ... They've redone all the landscaping, all the parking lots. I really feel like it's going to be kind of the most exciting shopping center in town."

The store is expected to move in October 2023. The Menaul location will remain open until the end of the year. Changes are also coming to the American Home Furniture Outlet and Clearance Center at 801 Comanche NE, Van Harten said. Starting late next year, there will be less overlap between the products offered at each store, and some renovations to the interior and exterior of the building are in the works.