The new store layout is customer friendly and gives a more retail-like experience. Our customers tell us every day how much they like the way the showroom looks.
Marco Scalise, ColorTyme Franchisee

Podcast interview with Tom Jackson, new ColorTyme Franchisee in Largo, Florida

Related Podcast: Hear Amy Woods, ColorTyme Director of Marketing, discuss the new store look.

Largo's first ColorTyme, which opened in early December, represents the next generation store for the nation's oldest rent-to-own (RTO) company, with an updated retail-inspired design that will begin emerging at ColorTyme locations nationwide in 2008.

Store owners Marco Scalise and Tom Jackson are the first ColorTyme franchisees in the nation to incorporate all the new design elements, which feature "room within a room" furniture vignettes, complete with accessories like lamps, rugs and artwork, throughout the 5,250-square-foot showroom. Scalise utilized ColorTyme's offerings of new warm earth tones, top-of-the-line TV and computer displays and a ceramic-tiled appliance area to design a store all his own.

"People want to know what a new couch or chair will look like in their house," said Jackson. "The new store layout is customer friendly and gives a more retail-like experience. Our customers tell us every day how much they like the way the showroom looks."

Jackson and Scalise are both seasoned professionals in the rent-to-own business, with more than 30 years combined experience. In addition to the new design, they say the product offerings, pricing and payment structures set their store apart from other rent-to-own stores.

"There's a perception that rent-to-own is more expensive than retail, but we are priced very competitively," said Scalise. "We also carry some higher end furnishings and electronics that might have been out of reach for many rent-to-own customers because most rent to own stores don't have that level of merchandise available."

Scalise and Jackson offer monthly and semi-monthly payment plans and even 90-days-same-as-cash, rather than a week-to-week rental agreement typically found in the rent to own environment.

A grand opening celebration is planned for January 31 – February 2 at the new store, located at 11897 Seminole Blvd., a mile south of Largo Mall. The event will also include a live radio remote broadcast on 97X, with free food and a drawing for prizes including a Nintendo Wii game system.

ColorTyme, Inc. is the oldest franchised rent-to-own or rental purchase company in the United States with approximately 206 traditional rent-to-own stores, one pay day loan store and twelve custom wheel and tire stores for a total of 219 stores.