City Furniture expected to bring 500 new jobs to Plant City

A national furniture chain is opening an operation in Plant City, bringing in 500 new jobs.

City Furniture’s new complex is a $125-million project that will include a showroom with a café that will serve craft beer, wine and flavored coffees. It will also include a warehouse and corporate offices.

"We’ll never lose our identity as an agricultural community with the Strawberry Festival and the berries in general," offered Jake Austin, president of the Plant City Economic Development Council. "But now, maybe, as people drive by, they’ll think of something else. ‘Let’s drop by City Furniture and buy that perfect furniture set that we have been looking for.’"

The plan is to hire hundreds of new employees. Salaries will range from $40,000 a year for warehouse workers, to $58,000 a year for service technicians.

"The impact is going to be tremendous," added Austin.

Although a number of development projects are in the works in the Plant City area, City Furniture is by far the biggest.

City Furniture is scheduled to open to the public in July of 2022.