Linens and More

Erie, Pa is one of only a handful of towns chosen to be one of the flagship cities to have a Lines & More For Less store.

The other towns include Howland, OH; Dayton, OH; Murfreesboro, Tenn.; Barboursville, WV; and Paducah, KY.

According to The Business Journal of Youngstown (where the first store in Howland, OH opened in July) President and CEO Frederick Mershad said he noticed a void in the market for home furnishings.

Rather than create the 30,000-square-foot store to be a general “everything that goes inside a home” retailer, Mershad wants Linens & More to focus on the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom while maintaining an assortment of items related to fashion based on quality and price. While customers won’t find lamps, area rugs or food, they will have more than 150 patterns of bedding to choose from, he said, compared to the 50 or 60 in other departments stores.

I went this weekend to the grand opening. Erie's store (located in the old Lines and Things, near DSW), is large and bright with a lot of great merchandise - Tommy Hilfiger linens, Egyptian towels, Serta mattresses, Bissell vacuums, Rachel Ray pots.

However, in my opinion, the prices are not at all "for less." This is not a discount store. The prices are comparable to Bed Bath and Beyond. The shopping experience is very nice - the isles are large, the selection is great, and the lighting is bright.

If you are looking for new bed linens or a new shower curtain or a specific brand cooking pot, this is a place to check out. But don't be fooled by the name, you will not get anything "for less." You will pay exactly the same price for it at Bed Bath and Beyond (if that store carried it and if you could find it in the cramped store), but, unfortanately, there is not coupon associated with it.