Gardner White to open new Traverse City store May 21

Gardner White’s arrival on Oak Hollow Drive is set to bring more than another storefront to Traverse City. The new store at 1775 Oak Hollow Drive is scheduled to open May 21, and the Michigan chain’s job board already listed at least one local opening, a New Store Opening Sales Consultant role, showing the company was staffing up ahead of the launch.

For shoppers, the timing matters because the store adds another furniture and mattress option in a growing market, along with delivery perks that could draw business away from established local sellers. Gardner White says in-stock furniture and mattresses qualify for same-day delivery, with afternoon and next-day delivery available seven days a week. Evening deliveries run from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., and white-glove delivery and setup starts at $199.99.

The opening also underscores how Gardner White sees Traverse City and Northern Michigan. The company says it has been family-owned and operated since 1912, spans four generations and now has 32 store locations across Michigan and Ohio. Its store locator lists Northern Michigan as one of its regions, and the Traverse City opening fits into a broader expansion push that has widened the company’s footprint across the state and into Ohio.

The market signal is reinforced by the numbers. Grand Traverse County’s population estimate rose from 96,625 in July 2024 to 96,729 in July 2025, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. The Traverse City metropolitan area, which includes Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau counties, reached about 157,000 residents in 2024 and grew 5.6% from 2014 to 2024, based on Michigan labor-market data. That growth helps explain why a regional chain would choose Oak Hollow Drive for a new store.

For the local retail landscape, the opening raises the stakes. Independent furniture and mattress stores now have to compete with a larger chain that can offer broader selection, delivery windows that stretch into the evening and the convenience of a nearby showroom. For Traverse City, the immediate effect is simple: more hiring, more consumer choice and another sign that major retailers still see room to invest in the corridor.