Fortunoff to open outdoor furniture stores

Fortunoff Backyard Stores are scheduled to open during the first quarter of 2010 in the tri-state area, the company has announced.

In an exclusive licensing agreement with Fortunoff Brands L.L.C., Furniture Concepts will sell outdoor furniture and seasonal products.

Two former Fortunoff executives, Marty Merkur and Bernard Sensale, will lead the new entity along with Isidore Mayrock, a member of the Fortunoff family.

David Barish, president of Texas-based retailer The Chair King, will also serve as chairman and president of Furniture Concepts through separately operated entity The Chair King Casual Furniture Stores.

Company spokesman Gary Lewi of Rubenstein Associates said that although the partnership is weighing options for store locations, further details were undisclosed.

The stores will be approximately 15,000 square feet in size and are expected to serve the same markets, the company said. Fortunoff, which had a store in White Plains, went into bankruptcy and  liquidation earlier this year.