CINCINNATI — Ohio-based home furnishings retailer Watson’s will expand its presence in the South with the acquisition of Charlotte, North Carolina-based Viridien Patio + Fireplace.
The expansion builds on Watson’s 2024 acquisition of Florida-based Recreational Warehouse, adding an additional four locations in Charlotte, Lake Norman and Raleigh, North Carolina, as well as a store in Greenville, South Carolina. The deal brings Watson’s total store count to 39, with 23 corporate locations and 16 franchise affiliates across nine states.
“Expanding into the Carolinas market has long been a strategic objective for us,” said Erik Mueller, CEO of Watson’s. “The market’s strength and sustained economic growth make it a natural fit for our continued expansion. Combined with Viridien’s strong team, shared values, proven business model and established presence, this acquisition represents an excellent strategic alignment. We are excited to welcome the entire Viridien team into the Watson’s family and to continue delivering high-quality products and experiences that bring enjoyment and relaxation to families across the region. Looking ahead, we see meaningful opportunities to expand our product offerings and further grow our presence throughout the state as we invest in and grow alongside the community.”
Viridien, which was previously known as The Fire House Casual Living Store, has been nominated for multiple International Casual Furnishings Association Apollo Awards, winning back-to-back honors in the multi-store category in 2020 and 2021. Watson’s also has been honored multiple times as an Apollo nominee, winning most recently in 2019.
Following the acquisition, Viridien will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Watson’s and will be branded as Viridien by Watson’s.
“Watson’s is a family business with a strong culture, an outstanding reputation and values that closely align with our own,” said Grant W. Henegan, owner and president, Viridien Patio + Fireplace. “From the beginning, it was important to me to find a partner that truly understood what Viridien has been built on over the past 45 years — taking care of our employees, customers and vendor partners while always operating with integrity and a long-term perspective. I genuinely don’t believe we could have found a better home for our business. This partnership creates exciting opportunities for growth while allowing us to preserve the culture, service and relationships that have defined Viridien for decades.”
Watson’s was founded in 1968 and stands as one of the nation’s largest retailers of home recreation products, offering outdoor furniture, spas, pools, saunas, billiards, indoor furnishings and more. With this recent expansion, the retailer plans to continue its growth trajectory going forward.
“We see significant opportunity to continue scaling Watson’s through new store development and strategic acquisitions in both our existing and new markets,” Mueller said.
Cincinnati-based mergers and acquisitions partners Katz Teller and Clark Schaefer Hackett, along with Charlotte-based Stump & Co., assisted with the acquisition. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
