Tampa furniture giant Ashley HomeStore tweaks its name

Ashley HomeStore has rebranded: The new name for one of North America's largest furniture and mattress retailers will simply be Ashley.

The Tampa-based company says the name change will coincide with a new modern look.

The company, in a statement, says its "refresh rollout" comes after initiating the rebrand last year with a new logo. Ashley stores in the Atlanta, Los Angeles, Orlando, Salt Lake City and Tampa Bay areas are the first markets to undergo the refresh. It will expand through the United States over the next year, the company says.

The rebrand "seeks to maintain relevance among consumers while attracting a younger demographic of customers who are looking for an upscale and on-trend look at an affordable price point," the company says in the Thursday news release. The refreshed stores feature an open-concept floor plan, an updated mattress gallery, and new interior design elements, Ashley officials say.

Ashley officials also introduced lower prices as part of the rebrand.

Ashley will celebrate its local store "refreshes" with in-store events for consumers offering giveaways, free workshops and more. The first store refresh event will take place on July 29 at the Clearwater, Pinellas Park, Tampa, and Wesley Chapel locations. Ashley officials say they will give away more than $50,000 in prizes plus provide customers with a chance to win free groceries for a year.

Ashley has 1,125 locations in 67 countries. The retail corporate headquarters for Ashley is in Ybor City.