Popular Home Decor Store Expanding In Eastern PA

EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA — It's not all doom and gloom for brick-and-mortar chain stores in Pennsylvania. While many plan to close up their local stores by the end of the year, one chain is expanding.

That's Homesense, which has been previously described in one publication as "HomeGoods on steroids."

Homesense, a furniture and home decor store operating under the umbrella of TJX Companies, opened its first two Pennsylvania locations in Exton and Langhorne last year. Later this month, two more stores will be opening, one in North Wales and one in St. Davids.

The North Wales store will be at the Airport Square shopping center. The St. Davids store will be at St. Davids Square. Both stores will open Sept. 26 at 8 a.m.

The two new Pennsylvania locations are among four additional Homesense stores nationwide opening on the same day this month. One of those new locations is in Princeton, N.J.

Homesense is a Canadian-based store that recently launched in the United States. So what makes it different than HomeGoods?

Cosmopolitan magazine has explored that very question. The conclusion: Homesense is basically HomeGoods on steroids.

Cosmopolitan reports they have a huge furniture section, as well as an area called "the general store," which offers everything from bath tubs to wallpaper, doorknobs, and fabrics. The lighting section is larger, and they have a full section for books, the publication reported.

Homesense is bucking the trend when it comes to the box store retail landscape in Pennsylvania.

Several national retailers announced store closings this summer, with plans to carry out those closings by the end of the year.

Some, like Kmart, are adding to a list of stores already slated for closure. Others, like Bed Bath & Beyond, say they're scaling back retail operations and reinventing themselves as a brand. Unsuccessful Bed Bath & Beyond stores will be closed as part of the new strategy, according to company officials.

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