BrandsMart USA Celebrates Grand Opening in Kennesaw

KENNESAW — Hundreds of people eagerly lined up outside of BrandsMart USA’s new Kennesaw location for its grand opening Saturday.

The new store, located in the Cobb Place Shopping Center on Ernest Barrett Parkway, celebrated its grand opening with a ceremony and ribbon-cutting with local, state and federally elected officials as well as BrandsMart and The Aaron’s Company employees.

Attendees Sharon and Larry Dover, of Kennesaw, stood in line for over three hours in hopes of being one of the first 150 people in line to receive a $50 gift card.

The Dovers, who wanted to buy a new air fryer, got there at 7 a.m. and felt they were about 30th in line.

“We just thought we’d come on out and get that $50 coupon and shop around,” Sharon Dover said.

The couple had shopped at the store’s previous Kennesaw location on Busbee Drive, which closed in 2014, and were happy to see the new one open.

Shopper Carol Moss of Marietta, said she used to drive to the store in north Atlanta, the closest store to the area after the original Kennesaw location closed.

Before the doors opened to the public, Aaron’s and BrandsMart President Steve Olsen was the first to speak during the ceremony inside the store. He expressed his enthusiasm about BrandsMart’s expansion in Georgia.

“We’re excited to come back to Kennesaw and bring this great brand to the community,” Olsen told the MDJ. “Kennesaw is a very active and vibrant retail corridor and is really important to northern Georgia.”

The new location marks the fourth BrandsMart in Georgia, and the second to open within the past year.

Olsen highlighted the history of BrandsMart and noted its acquisition by The Aaron’s Company in April 2022, which has enhanced the brand’s ability to offer a wide range of products and lease-to-own options.

Following Olsen, Sharon Mason, president and CEO of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, emphasized the positive impact on the local economy.

“We’re thrilled to have this right in the heart of our community and also thrilled to continue supporting Aaron’s, which is headquartered in Cobb County,” Mason said. “The assortment of products they have is tremendous and of great value so I think our citizens will really benefit from having this right here in their backyard.”

Cobb Chairwoman Lisa Cupid also spoke, celebrating the revitalization of the former Bed Bath & Beyond space and the creation of approximately 80 new jobs.

Olsen also announced a new partnership with Kennesaw State University and, on behalf of the company, donated 50 new Gateway laptops, valued at over $10,000, to the university’s CARE Services program. This program supports students experiencing homelessness, food insecurity and other hardships, aiming to provide them with a stable life academically and professionally.

The new location boasts an inventory of over 5,000 items including 150 refrigerators, 130 laundry appliances, 125 TVs and more.

The store also attracted customers from neighboring towns, like Marvin Haynes from Cartersville, who rarely visits Kennesaw but made an exception for the grand opening.

Haynes expressed his delight in the wide variety of products.

“I don’t get down here a lot, but this is something to get me down here,” Haynes said.