A challenging economy, increased competition and just plain fatigue convinced Wayne Martin to close the furniture business he has been running for nearly two decades.

Kansas Furniture Factory Outlet is closing within the next two months, Martin said Tuesday.

The 15,000-square-foot showroom and storage area at 708 Conn. is being cleared of its remaining inventory through liquidation sales.

“It’s just time,” Martin said. “Sometimes you wake up in the morning and say, ‘It’s time to go in a new direction.’ Now it’s time.”

The furniture store’s sales are down 20 percent since 9-11, Martin said, and recent increases in fuel prices, energy costs and other factors played a role in his decision to close.

Competition from Nebraska Furniture Mart and Benchmark in the Kansas City area did not affect his thinking, Martin said.

“Competition’s competition. It’s there,” he said. “This has been a great town. It is a great town. The biggest part I’m going to miss is all the people from Lawrence.”

Kansas Furniture Factory Outlet, 708 Conn., will be closing within the next couple of months.

The building has been home to the furniture business for eight years, after Pur-O-Zone had relocated to a larger building in northern Lawrence.

Former Pur-O-Zone owners Joe Bosco and Jim Freund still own the building, and say they already have secured a lease for the space. Through a spokesman, they declined Tuesday to identify the tenant.

Martin, meanwhile, said that he would spend more time on his other business interest in town: Royal Crest Lanes, a bowling alley at Ninth and Iowa streets.

Martin and Larry Burton have been co-owners of the bowling alley for five years, and they are putting together plans to replace the alley’s arcade and mini golf areas with a new restaurant and bar.