Von Maur will expand its e-commerce fulfillment center

Department store chain Von Maur Inc. said today that it will add 73,000 square feet to its 46,000-square-foot e-commerce fulfillment center in Davenport, IA. The project, expected to be complete in October, will result in more than 50 new jobs over the next three years, the company says.

"The rapid expansion of our e-commerce center is a reflection of the success of our online business and the continued growth we predict in web sales in the future," says Jim von Maur, Von Maur’s president. The retailer says it has experienced triple-digit percentage growth from e-commerce every year since 2008.

Von Maur built its fulfillment center in 2010. It originally employed 20 people but today 65 employees work there. The expansion will primarily lead to more warehouse space, but will also include offices and photo studios; the studios will handle images for products sold online. Last year the company added a robotic system to the center to help speed up the filling of orders.

By autumn 2013, Von Maur also plans to open three more retail locations, in Atlanta, Victor, NY, and Hoover, AL. The retailer operates 27 stores, with two already in Atlanta and the rest located in the Midwest.  The new stores and the e-commerce expansion are part of the company’s efforts to lengthen its nationwide reach, von Maur says.