Aspen Way Enterprises Inc., of Billings, Mont., has leased the former Electromart Factory Direct Inc. building in East Spokane and plans to open a franchise rent-to-own store there.


Aspen Way President Rohnn Lampi says that the new store, an Aarons Sales & Lease Ownership outlet, will occupy the entire 16,000-square-foot building at 3611 E. Sprague and is expected to open in mid-October.


It will employ five people initially and could grow to nine employees within a year, Lampi says.


Aspen Way hopes to open a second Aarons outlet in the Spokane area, likely along Division Street on Spokanes North Side, Lampi says. It hasnt selected a location for that store yet, though, and doesnt have a set time line for doing so, he says.


Aspen Way currently operates Aarons stores in Billings and Rapid City, S.D. Including the planned Spokane stores, the company plans to open seven new stores in the next three years. In Washington, it hopes to open other outlets in Yakima and the Tri-Cities.


Aarons Rents Inc. is an Atlanta-based franchiser with a 520-store nationwide chain. Aarons outlets lease out a variety of home goods, including furniture, appliances, electronics, and computers.


Electromart Factory Direct, a former Spokane computer and appliance dealer, closed in May after 55 years in business. It cited tough conditions in the retail computer business as its reason for closing.


Joel Crosby and Randy Jassman, both of Tomlinson Black Commercial Inc., handled Aspen Ways lease.