Van’s Home Center Celebrates 50 Years

Van’s Home Center, just off of I-69 and State Road 8 at 106 Peckhart Ct., in Auburn, Ind. is celebrating its 50th anniversary this fall. The company’s focus on providing quality products at affordable prices, along with excellent customer service, has paved the way for the growing business to evolve into a one-stop-shop for everything needed to furnish a home.

“We have people shopping with us who shopped with Van and Mary Lou when the store first opened,” says Brittany Brouer, marketing director. “Many people remember the original store in Angola and share their memories with us. Customer service is at the core of our business and something we are very proud of. We have a lot of repeat customers because they can get everything in one location.”

Through the years, the business has grown to include furniture, appliances, mattresses, flooring, cabinets, countertops, carpeting and tile.

Van’s is unique in that it services everything it sells, has its own delivery and installation teams, and offers customers extended warranties on all products, Brouer says. The staff is professionally trained and knowledgeable about the products.

“When it comes to doing business with us, there are no third parties. Everything happens under our own roof,” Brouer adds.

Over the last several years, Van’s has undergone a handful of remodels and expansions, including adding a new mattress gallery, expanding the furniture showroom, adding a flooring and tile showroom, adding a dedicated scratch-and-dent showroom, and adding a “live” kitchen showroom where all appliances are plugged in and working so customers can see the various features.

Van’s currently maintains three warehouses, with a fourth one soon to start construction. The staff can help customers who have a variety of needs, desires and/or budgets, whether they just want a new sofa or are undertaking a remodel or starting new construction.

Van’s also works directly with dozens of area home builders, providing clients with everything from appliances to furniture and flooring.

Through the years, Brouer has observed how customers have changed by not wanting to waste time.

“Most customers today don’t want the hassle of shopping around – they want their home projects to be as easy and as painless as possible,” she says. “Because of the internet, they have done their research, and they have a better understanding of what they want.”

At the same time, they expect to be listened to, cared for, and valued.

“We have given our community the option of shopping at a locally owned family business with a great selection and competitive prices,” Brouer adds. “Our customers get a personalized shopping experience with us. Hopefully, when they need something for the home, they think of Van’s. Today, everything is so automated – people enjoy the personal touch of a local business. They like knowing they are a valued customer and not just another transaction.”

And for those who don’t have time to shop in person, everything can be purchased online at vanshomecenter.com.

“Looking toward the future, we just want to make sure we are fulfilling customers’ needs as we always have done,” Brouer says. “Everything we do is the result of giving customers a trusted local destination for everything for the home.

“We are grateful to be able to maintain a business for 50 years, and that’s only because people trust us,” Brouer adds.