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Mathis Brothers find ‘Home’ in Midwest City

Bill Mathis, co-owner of Mathis Brothers, speaks during a ribbon cutting ceremony April 12 at the new Mathis Home store in Midwest City’s Town Center Plaza. PHOTO BY JEFF HARRISON

By Jeff Harrison
Midwest City Beacon

Mathis Brothers celebrated the opening of their newest store and concept last week in Midwest City.

The furniture retailer opened Mathis Home store at 7271 SE 29th St. in Midwest City. The 100,000-square-foot store is located in the former J.C. Penney building in Town Center Plaza.

“Midwest City is a great place to live but they needed a great furniture store,” said Bill Mathis, co-owner of Mathis Brothers. “We’re family owned, we’re part of the Oklahoma heritage and we are glad we got this opportunity. We’re very excited to be a part of Midwest City.”

The Midwest City Chamber of Commerce, employees and local dignitaries celebrated a ribbon cutting at the new store on April 12. Co-owners Bill and Larry Mathis both attended the event.

Mathis Home is a new concept featuring many of the products and brands found at the Mathis Brothers main store in west Oklahoma City. The store will also feature a restaurant that is slated to open in the next few weeks.

“This is kind of the sweet spot of our offerings,” said Bill Mathis, co-owner of Mathis Brothers. “We cater to all price points. It’s going to be a great way for customers to shop, dine, drink, have fun and be right in their own community.”

It is the first Mathis Home concept store.

City Manager Tim Lyon said the new Mathis Home store filled both a hole in the shopping center and a need for local residents. Midwest City has smaller discount furniture stores but lacked one of Mathis’ size and scale. Lyon said the new store will generate sales taxes and attract visitors.

“This store will double anything that J.C. Penney produced for sales tax and it’s going to bring people to our community,” Lyon said. “It’s going to bring people from all across the state and they’ll shop here and eat here. This is not just a furniture store it’s a destination.”

Mayor Matt Dukes welcomed the new business to the community.

“Mathis Brothers is a great addition to Midwest City, and we look forward to a great relationship with them,” Dukes said.

Mathis Home features a large showroom floor and a restaurant that will open soon. The store does not have a warehouse and all purchases will come from the company’s warehouse in Oklahoma City. Mathis Brothers will offer free delivery for all customers in their rewards member program.

“Our free delivery doesn’t mean we drop it on your doorstep,” Mathis said. “It means we set it where you want it in your home.”

Bill Mathis said they had not planned on opening a store on the east side of the metro, but they fell in love with the opportunity they found in Midwest City. It was also the perfect opportunity to try out a new store concept.

“We tried to find a place in the past and there wasn’t any space, and when this very large opportunity became available, we put our thinking caps on and decided it would fit our new business model – Mathis Home. And this 100,000-square-foot building ended up being perfect. We have everything under one roof, on one floor, and have a restaurant/ bistro inside of it.”

JC Penney closed its Midwest City store in July 2020, shortly after the company declared bankruptcy. City officials had been working on a deal with Mathis Brothers for several months before an agreement was announced in December 2021.

The company started demolition work on the building last fall. The inside of the store was gutted, and the façade was removed on the front of the building. Construction started in September.

Midwest City is providing economic assistance to offset some of the cost of the construction project. Mathis Brothers will be eligible for a rebate of local sales taxes paid after the store opens. The city will provide 50% of the city sales taxes remitted by Mathis Brothers on an annual basis. The incentive is capped at $3 million total.

The money will be paid through proceeds from ground leases in Town Center Plaza.

 

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