Homelegance China plans to open up to 30 stores a year as the US brand builds its Chinese brand awareness.

The company opened its first China store in the city of Tianjin in May and by the end of August will have six stores trading in total. By the end of October it expects to expand to 11 and from then on it plans between 20 and 30 new stores will open annually.

Homelegance wants to target China’s middle class with its collection of predominantly wooden bedroom, living, dining and office furniture.

The inaugural Tianjin store is a 30,000 sqft franchise opened in a specialist furniture shopping mall, Red Star Macalline. It is operated by Li ShiGuang. Tianjin is the location of Homelegance’s 260,000 sqft warehouse which will supply stores in the growing network.

Homelegance will licence stores in China to ensure it has local operators who understand the local markets it enters.

“We know that to grow we must look beyond our traditional US borders to become the worldwide leader we know we can be,” Jamie Collins, executive VP of Homelegance USA, told Furniture Today.

“There is no better place for us to focus our efforts than in China. Beyond building a brand in China we know that our new licensees in China will enjoy what our retail partners in North America have already experienced, profitable gains through the sale of Homelegance products.”

Collins said the demand for American designs amongst Chinese is growing every year.

“We will present Homelegance as a premier lifestyle brand that represents the best of what the Chinese consumer is looking for.”