Soft Colours for Home Furnishing Store

Tuesday 20th of March 2007 09:54:28 PM

Soft Colours for Home Furnishing Store

Opening a store is a risk in any industry. But in industries like home furnishings, the risks are higher because the demand is lower. But when Steve Lora and John Perez opened their furniture store, MOTIF outside of Austin, Texas, USA, the store quickly flourished. This is due in part because it has a friendly store layout, periwinkle blue Polo Shirts for employees to wear, and great furniture.

“We think of ourselves as a lifestyle retailer and not as a furniture store. Now, of course, furniture is the bulk of what we sell, but the way that it’s presented, it’s much more akin to, say, Pottery Barn, where if you like this lifestyle, this contemporary modern look, then everything that you need is available at MOTIF. And that’s what we’re about. That’s why people drive from so far away, because they want that look,” said Lora.

With more stores planned in the near future, their business has doubled in size in just a year. Catering to Americans shoppers and Mexican shoppers has helped. “We’re a very Hispanic-friendly company, and we try to hire people who are bilingual. It’s a respectful thing for us and where we are located. We want to communicate with people in a language they prefer, not the language we prefer,” said Lora.

The Polo Shirts were chosen to be a soft blue because to the owners, the colour represented democracy. In addition to catering to the needs of their customers, Lora and Perez also believe in treating their employees with respect as well. “If they’re not happy, they’re not going to treat our customers in a happy manner, and then nobody is happy,” said Perez. Treating employees with respect will help them as they expand their business to include up to five more stores in the next few years.

(c)Robert Van, www.sxc.hu