Stellar Stores report

By Susan Dickenson and Dana French -- Home Accents Today, 11/7/2007 10:34:00 AM

Home Accents Today's annual retail stars list recognizes enterprising home accents retailers who are meeting the challenges of an increasingly competitive marketplace with innovative strategies and creative solutions. All are independents, many of them family-owned, each owing their success to a series of plans, creative ideas, trials and tribulations that have come to define their store's personality and competitive strengths.

For many, the strength lies in the ability to identify and provide the perfect merchandise mix — the tried and true customer favorites along with just enough of the "unique and different." New accessories and tableware share space with vintage, new and eye-catching furniture at Pieces, a Buckhead Village shopping destination for Atlanta's young sophisticates. Connecticut emporium J. Seitz & Co. has created its own brand of New England country chic by accenting its elegant-casual furniture vignettes with folk and southwestern arts and rarities. Texas-based Yard Art Patio and Fireplace is finding success beyond its casual home furnishings category with a large selection of complementary home accents.

Other Stars have mastered the art of the customer service experience and are keeping things interesting with everything from private shopping events to pajama parties to artist openings. Nashville's Mad Mod offers an in-store cafe and art gallery, and Cocktail Hour has defined itself as Atlanta's source for all things related to entertaining, augmenting a barware and gift selection with wine classes, cocktail seminars and party planning services.

Forty-one of this year's Stars have Web sites, up from 35 last year, and some have expanded beyond marketing and e-commerce into the interactive world of blogs, galleries and photo journals to grow and maintain their customer relationships. San Francisco's Zinc Details keeps Bay Area "Zinc-o-philes" in the loop with photos and wrap-ups of openings, receptions and events like December's holiday party, where guests celebrated the season with food, drink and a cell-phone guided tour of modern design classics.

Click here to purchase the full report including a list of the 50 "star" stores that made the cut.

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