Susan Dickenson

Retailers and Designers Look to Reinvent, Educate and Buy Conservatively in Slow Times

Buyers in Las Vegas this week let us in on the state of their business operations -- what’s working, what they’re buying, what they’re changing and how. Story by Susan Dickenson

Things have picked up a little within the last week, but the three weeks leading into it were terrible. About two weeks before the inauguration it went to nothing. This Valentine’s Day, people are buying sooner which is amazing. Usually they wait until three or four days before. I’m not sure if they’re budgeting their money or what it is, but it’s good -- gives you hope. I was down 20% last year. December I was down about 30%, but I was just thankful it wasn’t 40% or 50%. I’ve cut way back on my payroll and way back on my buying. Definitely buying lower ticket items. You really look at what your customers want. Instead of just buying things that might sell, you’re getting things that you’re pretty sure are going to sell. -- Lori Bailey, The Hidden Cottage, Simi Valley, Calif.

I buy a lot of furnishings for homestaging, then resell them. Things were very slow from October through December. In January it picked up and got busy again so now I’m here buying all new furniture. -- Jodi King, Artistic Interior Redesign, Sacramento, Calif.

Actually, we had a pretty good year. We sell furniture, home accessories and outdoor living. We have a unique draw because we’re a furniture store in a complex of a variety of businesses, so we get the benefit of additional traffic from restaurants, a farmers market, candy store, cheese and wine shop, pizzeria. We also have music on weekends, and carnival rides. -- Robert Lizano & Tony Johnson, Toms Farms, Corona, Calif.


Things have slowed down a little, not a whole lot. It just depends on you and what you’re doing and how you present yourself to the client. There’s still a need out there and we have exquisite designs to present. At market, I enjoy staying abreast of the color trends and looking for hot accessories. -- Beverly Claiborne, Beverly Claiborne Designs, Ellicott City, Md.

Linda Smith: We’ve been in business five years. It’s a very rural community but I think we’ve been doing really well. Ron Harris: Sales more than doubled last year, and it’s because of strategies we implemented that we discovered last year at market -- at the NHFA retailer seminars. -- Lynnae Smith, Linda Smith & Ron Harris, Smith Home Furnishings, Hinton, Okla.

I’m going into my fourth year of business and I want to do well. That’s why I’m here (Retailer Resource Center) and I’ll be here for almost every session. I carry home accessories and furniture and a little more gift items now because of the economy, but I’m doing fine. We’re celebrating our third anniversary right now and this month has been fabulous. We educate people that if they want a good price, they can find that here everyday. But if they want a fabulous price, February is their time because that’s when we put everything on sale -- once a year. And we just launched a new loyalty program called Simplicity Rewards. You get 10% at the end of the year in a gift card and in the past week we’ve had more than 100 people subscribe. This year we’ll be a little more cautious but I’m still buying. I haven’t bought much in the past weeks because I’m waiting for the new presentations from Imax, Lazy Susan, etc. -- A. Liengboonlertchai, Simplicity Décor, Kirkland, Wash.

We haven’t seen a decrease yet, it hasn’t really hit home. We sell gifts and accessories. So far, we’re holding steady. -- Kenny & Kendra McLaughlin, Funky Treasures, Hereford, Tex.

Anne Gwaltney: Things are very slow. I think it was last March I said, “what’s going on here? I’m not getting any business.” My clients want organic and green, so that’s what I’m looking for at this market. Maynard Gwaltney (Smithfield Foods): I just tell everybody to keep buying ham and pork. -- Anne & Maynard Gwaltney, Anne of Smithfield, Smithfield, Va.

Barbara McIntire: We’ve been around since about 2000 and do interior design for the most part. We’re kind of reinventing ourselves. We have to be more aggressive and we’re not aggressive personality types so we’re trying to figure out how to balance that and come up with a plan that everybody’s comfortable with. We can’t just rest on our laurels anymore. Alyssa Ramirez: In a way, it’s a nice change. We’ve always been so busy but now we’re able to spend more time with clients and give them a better product. We’re hoping it stays steady. People are thinking differently. They’re furnishing places they wouldn’t have furnished before because they want to sell them or rent them. Barbara McIntire: In spite of everything we’re bombarded with everyday, we have to carry on with what we do. Nothing comes from being negative. -- Barbara McIntire & Alyssa Ramirez, LuxWest, Telluride, Co.

I’m originally from Los Angeles but have been in Nevada off and on for ten years. I focus on the condo high rise market. I’m eclectic and urban so I work with that high-end, high rise condo buyer who’s not looking for huge massive pieces, and I’m real focused on color. The Pantone color seminar this morning was very inspiring. I haven’t send a drop-off in the condo market, in the half a million dollar and up range. They’re the ones buying, but they’re a little more careful. -- Deborah Gunn, Deborah Gunn Interiors, Las Vegas, Nev.

Related Story: Home Accents retailers discuss their year just ended, expectations and plans for 2009 in this month's inaugural Retailer Insight column. 

Posted by Susan Dickenson on February 10, 2009 | Comments (0)