Teso Life intends to update the former Conn’s HomePlus and Rooms To Go store in Arlington in the Regency Court Shopping Center at an estimated project cost of $149,000.
The city is reviewing a permit application for Greenlogic LLC of Windermere to renovate the 29,934-square-foot store at 9278 Arlington Expressway, where Arlington Expressway and Atlantic Boulevard meet, east of Southside Boulevard.
That review comes as the city issued six sign permits Feb. 16 for the store at a combined cost of $33,000.
The six comprise four Teso Life and two Asian Department Store signs.
New York City-based Teso Life, which calls itself a Japanese fashion casual life product department store, confirms it has leased the vacant building and intends to open in May.
Teso Life carries products in the categories of health and beauty; grocery and beverage; housewares; and kitchenware. It also carries office products, bath products and bath fixtures, car accessories, pet supplies, toys and items for kids and babies.
The building was developed in 1998 for Rooms To Go, which left in September 2021 when the furniture store opened a new location in The Markets at Town Center.
Conn’s HomePlus, which sold furniture and appliances, then leased the building from 2022 until 2024, when Conn’s Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
A representative for Teso Life said Feb. 11 that the building doesn’t require a lot of construction.
He said the Teso Life team explored Florida and, with a real estate agent, “found a spot they highly recommended.”
The representative said Teso Life is a U.S.-based company with plans to expand.
Tesolife.com shows 27 stores are open and 32 are coming soon in a total 20 states coast to coast.
It operates one Florida store in Orlando, with Jacksonville and Miami locations coming soon.
Teso Life says it was founded in May 2017 and is headquartered in Queens, New York.
Through RTG Jax Investors LLC, Forness Properties LLC of Winter Park bought the Regency Court store property in June 2022 from a Rooms To Go affiliate.
Monte Mitchell, director of leasing and sales for Forness Properties, said by email Feb. 11 that Teso Life will occupy the entire building, which is across the expressway from Regency Square Mall, now called The Nexus at Regency.
In Jacksonville, Teso Life Asian Department Store will be less than a mile from Asian specialty Lotte Plaza Market.
The Teso Life representative said the stores share similar audiences and the retailer’s goal is to educate and introduce more Asian culture and products to the market.