Rent-to-own News - New Premier store opens in Orlando

Steve Dovale is an entrepreneur. He has owned several businesses including a cookie company, a construction firm and an outdoor screen enclosure and pool deck operation – each a franchise. So when he had the opportunity to purchase a furniture store from a friend last year, he naturally looked around for franchise options and found Premier Home Furnishings. He officially opened as a Premier franchisee this month.

“I’m a franchise person,” he says. “I like what it offers me as a business owner, including brand recognition, buying power and affiliations with other owners. Since I have explored different industries during my career, I appreciate the support as I gain knowledge of a new market and type of business. I also like how an effective franchisor will look for ways to stay cutting edge within their industry to keep a franchisee from getting stale and losing market share.”

Dovale got his.BS and MBA degrees from University of Central Florida where he played football. Upon graduating, he joined the United States Army and became an Airborne Ranger, earning the rank of Captain before retiring due to an injury in the line of duty.

Tapping into his business education and skills in leadership gained in the military, he moved on to develop a keen eye for business operation and development and became proficient in applying sound strategies to new and varied endeavors. Hence his success in several businesses he started and sold. Over the past year, Dovale began to see the potential for combining RTO with retail as he walked through the steps of re-inventing his new furniture business. But there were very few resources that could offer him the support and training he wanted with this unique business model - until he found Premier.

“Premier has a unique model. No one else is doing it on a nationwide scale. It’s tricky to meet the needs of two diverse markets – those who lease and those who buy. There is a balance to keeping the right inventory and developing the right relationships necessary to accommodate everyone. It requires special software and home office support. Premier offers that support and the training necessary to make the model work.  I liked that they are one of the fastest growing young franchisors. That gives credibility to their name because that didn’t just happen. They earned it. And they have earned my confidence by giving me total flexibility in running my business but the benefit of all the guidance I need. I readily admit I was entering territory I didn’t fully understand, both on the furniture side and with RTO. But I’ve found with Premier there is a never ending flow of guidance. Mike Lewis, VP of Operations, spent several days with me guiding me through the process of running a profitable business according to the Premier model. I still talk with him every day.”

Dovale adds, “You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that lease-to-own is an answer in this economy. When the economy improves, I expect to see an increase in my retail. For now, RTO is one of few industries to have kept the interest of banks for SBA loans these days. While getting a loan took longer than it should have, at least I was able to get through the system and get the money I needed to launch.”

Dovale says he was surprised by the reasonable costs in opening a Premier franchise. “I found that the support I got and the modest investment I made was miniscule compared to what I’ve paid for and gotten from other franchisors in the past. I am excited about my future. Premier Home Furnishings is perfect for the market place and perfect for what I need as I enter a new and promising arena for me.”

The national office of Premier Home Furnishings is located in Williamsburg, Virginia. All Premier stores are independently owned and operated. Visit Premier’s website at www.premierrents.net or call (800) 2-Premier and ask for Trooper Earle.