Don Heitlauf knows the economy is tough. As the owner of Bellevue’s Crossroads Appliance since 1989, he’s seen competitors come and go.

Now, Heitlauf is making his own move by buying six Maytag stores in the Puget Sound area and converting them to Crossroads Appliance locations.

“It’s difficult to expand one store at a time,” Heitlauf said about expanding.

But, he added, the Maytag stores in Lynnwood, Bellevue, Southcenter, Kent, Federal Way and Puyallup already were a functioning business.

Heitlauf had begun talks last year with the franchise owner of the Maytag stores in the area. Things finally came together in the last month.

With the switch to Crossroads Appliance – the new signs are going up now – Heitlauf plans to expand the offerings in each of the stores.

The Maytag stores were limited to the brands owned by the Whirlpool corporation, Maytag’s parent company. Crossroads Appliance offers many more brands and in a wide variety of price ranges, Heitlauf said. However, the new stores will continue to carry the Maytag line, he added.

With the expansion, Heitlauf said he will be able to offer the Crossroads Appliance experience to more people with more convenience.

“We’ll have the stores close to their homes,” Heitlauf said.

In addition, Heitlauf says the knowledge of his sale people also will be a plus.

“The reason we can survive is because we have more knowledge,” Heitlauf said. “That’s the main difference.”

For example, he said, his employees know which brand will best meet a customer’s needs. And “best” doesn’t necessarily mean all from the same manufacturer.

“We’re like the doctor is to the patient who is looking for a cure,” Heitlauf said. “We’re really great at helping customers.”

The addition of the six stores will bring changes throughout the system, Heitlauf noted. The main Bellevue store in Crossroads will remain the same, Heitlauf said, but the Bellevue Maytag store, on Northup Way will become a clearance center for the Crossroads Appliance chain. The Kent store, at 12,000 square feet, also will add clearance items to its regular merchandise.

Some of the stores also will add demonstration cooking areas.

“The younger generation is all about cooking programs,” Heitlauf said.

Crossroads Appliance opened in 1972 and Heitlauf went to work there in 1979. There was one other employee there at the time.

“He’s still here,” Heitlauf said. “He’s been here longer than me.”