By Justine Griffin for the Herald-Tribune.

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The return of one of the premier brands in the furniture industry bodes well for the Southwest Florida region, the housing market and the local economy.
Robb & Stucky reopened its store at 7557 S. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota in early December. And while shoppers may remember the Robb & Stucky name and its upscale line of furniture and home decor merchandise, the chain is now under new ownership and forging a new path in Florida.

This isn’t your grandmother’s Robb & Stucky, said Steve Lush, president and CEO of the new brand.

“There are a lot of misconceptions out there about who we are as a brand,” Lush said. “We offer the same quality customers remember. But we’re under new ownership and management and have more furniture arrangements than ever before that cater to all price points.”

The company’s stores across Florida closed in 2011, including the 68,000-square-foot location in south Sarasota, despite having been one of the top sellers in Southwest Florida just five years earlier.

The brand started making a comeback in 2012 by opening stores in Fort Myers, where the chain is headquartered, and in Naples, before opening its third and largest store in Sarasota.

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