Home
furnishing retailers form local networking groupBy
Lynn Ducey Phoenix Business Journal 06.19.09
A
handful of home furnishing boutique owners across the Valley
are rallying together to insulate themselves from the
recession.
What
started as a loose network of friends within the same industry
is developing into a formal group recently named Arizona Home
Boutiques. The group is launching a Web site aimed at bringing
together niche boutique home furnishing retailers across the
Valley.
“It’s
really so far been about information sharing,” said Debbie
Frank, owner of D.
Frank Designs in
Scottsdale
. “By reaching out and sharing with others who are
experiencing the same things, that all just comes back around
to you.”
Members
include Frank; Rebecca Masterson of Embellish
Home Phoenix; Ryan and Susan O’Meara of Palavela
Home; Laura Weaver of Nestldown Bedding, Bath
and Baby; and Jody Smith of Vintage
Villas.
Frank
and Smith met last year as they worked on an industry event in
Phoenix
sponsored by the American Society of Interior Designers. That
led to a business relationship, which led to the formation of
the group.
The
philosophy behind the group is to create a supportive network
of those within the independent home furnishings and decor
business. The gatherings so far have taken place at a local
restaurant and via phone conversations, with customer
referrals, specific item queries and industry trends among the
common topics of conversation.
“This
is about grassroots marketing and networking. The best way to
generate business is through word of mouth or a referral, and
if I can get an item from one of my colleagues for my
customer, that’s important. My customer is happy, and I am
keeping the dollars in the local community,” Smith said.
Frank
said the group is open, but will screen its members to ensure
the businesses complement one another and that members
aren’t too close to one another geographically. To qualify,
a business must have a retail storefront and be independently
owned.
“This
is really about networking with people who really understand
the challenges and where you are. ... We want to be able to
leverage ourselves, because we aren’t these big
retailers,” she said.
For more
information about Lillian Wong & Associates and our services, please visit
my website at LillianWong.net or email me at
Lillian@LillianWong.com.
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