Lyle’s & Jensen’s Home Furnishings on Jordan Avenue, a family business in that location for about 27 years, has sold the building, but will continue to operate in the location until the end of December. (Meredith Jordan/ Juneau Empire)

Lyle’s & Jensen’s Home Furnishings on Jordan Avenue, a family business in that location for about 27 years, has sold the building, but will continue to operate in the location until the end of December. (Meredith Jordan/ Juneau Empire)

Furniture store closing after a long run, but may be back

Alaska Industrial Hardware purchased the building, according to assessors office.

Lyle’s & Jensen’s Home Furnishings on Jordan Avenue, a family business in that location for about 27 years, has sold the building and will continue operations through the end of December.

“This store is closing, but we’re still trying to get another store somewhere else,” said Laura Barnes, who was working at a desk behind the counter in the back with a dog named Ozzy Jawsbourne nearby.

The building is adorned with signs bearing upper-case letters proclaiming “STORE CLOSING,” a tone matched in urgency in social media ads, but Barnes said she hoped people didn’t get the wrong impression.

“It’s a little misleading since we’re still here and operating for a couple of months,” she said.

Some signs on the building might even appear to be contradictory — “help wanted” alongside “closing” — but it does tell a more fulsome story, said Barnes. “‘Now hiring’ signs confuse people, but it’s true. We don’t have enough people to even get out of here.”

The large showroom is a little too much to handle for two or three people, explained Barnes, who has worked there for about six years. Their initial plan was to get a smaller space that would be more manageable with fewer people. But prices were too high at Nugget Mall, while Mendenhall Mall didn’t have enough space, she said.

“We couldn’t even find a warehouse.” Instead they purchased between eight and 10 shipping containers to store things.

Barnes described herself as an “adopted” member of the Jensen family, three of whom were in the building on Friday.

Shirlene Jensen has been running the business with husband Scott Jensen since the early ‘90s. She said Scott started the company in his parent’s garage around 1992 and it quickly grew bigger. They rented three different retail spots before buying the building at 2093 Jordan Ave. She thinks that was 1995; they’ve been there ever since.

A pole sign in front of the building reveals more about the history of the business. It’s an old Maytag Home Appliance sign featuring the iconic bored repairman with “Lyles Maytag” fading at the bottom. The Jensens bought the Lyle business, which included the building and furniture, from seven partners. The Jensens decided to keep the Lyle name and add theirs to it.

“It was a good name, a longstanding name,” Shirlene said.

That explains the social media ads, which note the furniture business dates back 70 years.

She agreed the challenge of finding employees, which a lot of businesses have experienced in recent times, has been a factor in her wanting to close the business. She also worries about Scott’s health, because it’s a physically demanding job.

They always planned to stay open for several months after the sale of the building because of inventory in the pipeline. “That’s the way it is in the furniture business,” said Jensen. The good news for shoppers is that there is new merchandise, including rugs.

The Juneau assessor’s database shows the new owner of the building is Alaska Industrial Hardware Inc., which has a storefront about a quarter mile away. A man who answered the phone there said they hoped to be in the new location by late spring.

• Contact Meredith Jordan at meredith.jordan@juneauempire.com or (907) 615-3190.

More in News

(Juneau Empire file photo)
Aurora forecast through the week of Nov. 3

These forecasts are courtesy of the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute… Continue reading

El Sombrero opens the doors of its downtown restaurant for the final time Saturday after 45 years at the location. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
El Sombrero says ‘hasta luego’ by closing restaurant after 45 years, with plans to open food truck

Downtown eatery owned by family for three generations who grew up alongside their customers.

Nesbett Courthouse in downtown Anchorage on Oct. 7, 2024. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
After controversial correspondence school decision, Anchorage judge faces voters in election

Adolf Zeman is one of 19 judges on Alaska’s ballots, but he’s the only one with a campaign against him.

The outcome of the struggle for control of both the House and Senate will have sweeping implications for the country’s future. Shown is the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 9, 2024. (Jane Norman/States Newsroom)
Will control of Congress shift? The results hinge on a handful of states and races

Narrow Republican Senate majority would allow Murkowski to wield outsized influence, expert says.

A sign on Egan Drive reminds motorists at midday Friday a lower seasonal speed limit is in effect in an attempt to reduce collisions at the Fred Meyer intersection. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Reduced 45 mph speed limit goes into effect on Egan Drive in vicinity of Fred Meyer intersection

Change in effect until Jan. 31 intended to improve safety; JPD reports normal number of traffic stops.

People voting ahead of Election Day line up inside the Mendenhall Mall annex on Friday, Oct. 25. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire)
Juneau an afterthought for candidates ahead of Tuesday’s election, but early voting at a record pace

Toss-up U.S. House race, minimum wage increase, repeal of ranked choice voting on ballot.

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo
Tesla Cox (left) explains the damage done to her home and possessions by record flooding Aug. 6 to a delegation of municipal, tribal and federal officials on Aug. 11. The City and Borough of Juneau is considering a memorandum of agreement with the Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska for public safety issues such as emergency response, plus a similar agreement involving solid waste operations.
City leaders, Tlingit and Haida considering operational pacts for public safety, solid waste

Assembly members Monday will also discuss flood barriers, short-term rentals, homeless.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Police calls for Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

The Tongass National Forest near Sitka on Oct. 10, 2024. The remains of a hunter who the authorities believe was fatally mauled by a bear were recovered on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, from a remote region in Alaska where such attacks are rare. (Christopher Miller/The New York Times)
Deer hunter is killed in apparent bear attack near Sitka, authorities say

The remains of a hunter who authorities believe was fatally mauled by… Continue reading

Most Read