More Than a Store

MORETHANASTORE

Retailer achieves success in the sales arenas of e-commerce, manufacturing, and brick-and-mortar.

BY KIMBERLY RODGERS PHOTOS BY BRYAN OSTER

Most casual furniture retailers begin their careers with a brick-andmortar store and then possibly expand into the world of e-commerce. Ben Harvey, owner of Patio Productions (San Diego, California), took a different approach.

In 2006, the entrepreneur started an online company with a focus on offering high-quality outdoor furniture at mid-level prices. Eventually, many factors prompted Harvey to open his flagship patio showroom space in 2017. “Ultimately, the decision was driven by a desire to offer our customers the best shopping experience we could deliver—no matter where they lived in the United States,” Harvey says.

He explains that while a brick-and-mortar store most certainly benefits his Southern California customers by enabling them to look at and sit in actual furniture, a store also adds a number of advantages for Patio Productions e-commerce

Top: Ben Harvey, president, Patio Productions with Phillmore, chief greeting officer

Bottom: Online customers have the opportunity to take a video tour of the showroom to gain a greater understanding of the products offered. customers. “By opening a physical retail location, we are able to partner with brands that traditionally only work with brick-and-mortar stores. As a result, our online selection has grown.”

More importantly, having a depth of products on the showroom floor enables the Patio Productions sales team to learn and experience the products themselves firsthand. In turn, they can share this knowledge to better educate

TOP: The Patio Productions showroom is located in downtown San Diego.

CENTER LEFT: The store offers a variety of brands, including Harmonia Living.

CENTER RIGHT AND BOTTOM: Customers are inspired by an eclectic mix of products on the floor.

online customers on the quality, design, as well as the pros and considerations of furniture brands that are featured both in-store and online.

“Most e-commerce companies don’t really know the products they sell because they have never seen them,” Harvey says. However, he adds, with Patio Productions, the store and website truly go hand-inhand. Online customers have the opportunity to take a video tour of the showroom floor to gain a greater understanding of the products Patio Productions carries. “This means we can better represent the lines we sell, and our customers receive the best online shopping experience.”

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE The Patio Productions showroom is located in downtown San Diego, next to the train tracks and near the upscale neighborhoods of Mission Hills and Little Italy. Bowstring trusses extend across the ceiling of the rustic warehouse-style 11,250-square-foot space. The store has an expansive feel with large roll and glass doors on three sides, which are left open over 300 days a year, thanks to the beautiful Southern California climate. “We want our customers to not only feel welcomed but inspired when they walk into the store,” Harvey says.

This inspiration comes from the enthusiastic greeting customers receive when they walk through the door, along with the store’s music choices and its eclectic mix of furniture on the floor. In fact, Harvey says, “Our customers regularly comment on how much fun it is to shop with us.” A no-pressure sales experience combined with a staff who provides excellent customer service and product education is the right combination to win business.

“We have a great staff, and we hire someone with character over experience. The result is a wonderful group of people who enjoy working with each other,” he adds. Because of the store’s non-traditional sales philosophy, Harvey is cautious when hiring seasoned professionals who may not share the same low-pressure sales style. He certainly has found the right mix for success: In 2022, Patio Productions was an Apollo Awards finalist in the Single-Store Category (Southwest Region) presented by the International Casual Furnishings Association.

While there is a strong focus on offering a total customer experience, including excellent service, Harvey does not subscribe to the “customer is always right” mantra. “In my opinion, this plagues all commerce especially in the area of online sales.” He believes customers must bear some responsibility for returns and be accountable for their actions when selecting, receiving, and using products. Too many consumers, Harvey comments, have been allowed and trained to abuse return policies. “These practices are not sustainable for small businesses or the planet.”

BUSINESS SYNERGIES In 2007, Harvey developed Harmonia Living, a wholesale business dedicated to designing and manufacturing high-quality indoor and outdoor furniture using top performance fabrics and cushions. Available online and in-store at Patio Productions,

Harmonia Living is also sold through showrooms across the United States.

Made with high-quality materials and expert construction in a contemporary yet approachable design, Har monia Living offers a refreshing alternative in the world of overpriced furniture. Manufacturing uses the same techniques from well-known high-end brands including heavy-duty powder-coated aluminum frames, HDPE (high density polyethylene) outdoor wicker, Sunbrella fabrics, and Dacronwrapped foam core cushions.

During the pandemic, both retail and manufacturing sectors in the casual industry saw a dramatic increase in the demand for outdoor furniture. For Harvey, operating three separate businesses presented a significant challenge. “At times, we were not able to keep up with the demand on all fronts.” However, he adds, there were some distinct advantages to running multiple companies. “There were occasions in which the three sides of our businesses were able to help each other.”

For example, both the showroom and e-commerce site had access to a steady flow of Harmonia Living inventory stocked in the company’s Southern California warehouse. “We did a good job of forecasting, which allowed us to stay relatively well-stocked compared to other brands we carry.”

In addition, during the pandemic when another manufacturer was behind in making cushions and missed estimated ship dates on dozens of orders for Patio Productions, Harvey was able to tap into his internal resources. “Because we make our own cushions in-house for Harmonia Living, we were able to step in and make the cushions and deliver completed orders to our customers in a reasonable time.”

Having an e-commerce site during the pandemic was also very fortunate for the brick-and-mortar side of the business. “I was able to keep my showroom staff busy answering calls from the website. There was a lot of synergy between our businesses during the pandemic.”

To keep all his companies running as smooth as possible, Harvey tries to narrow his focus, for a few months at a time, on the business that needs the most assistance or has the greatest potential. “Early on in the pandemic, my time was on the e-commerce side because that presented a lot of opportunity.” Lately, he has moved his energies to Harmonia Living because he sees his efforts making the biggest difference. Among his responsibilities, Harvey’s favorite job is designing new furniture. Harmonia Living launched three new collections in 2022 and each are selling very well. In 2023, the focus will be on growing the brickand-mortar customer base for Harmonia Living. The 2023 catalog was mailed to existing and prospective dealers early this year. Harmonia Living will also be showing products at the Casual Market in Atlanta in July—the first time the company has had a presence at the show. “I encourage all attendees to stop by our booth and give us their feedback,” Harvey says.

Having achieved great success in the worlds of ecommerce, brick-and-mortar, as well as furniture design and manufacturing, Harvey gives a note of caution for any retailer planning to enter the online sales arena. “Be careful—it is relatively easy to start a website but extremely difficult to get enough traffic to the site to make it economically viable.” He adds, “E-commerce is hard. I would gladly launch another brick-and-mortar patio store over starting a new website.”

The Patio Productions brickand-mortar store opened in 2017 to complement a thriving online business.

FAST MOVING. CUSTOMER DRIVEN. SUPERIOR QUALITY.

outdoorrooms.com

START WITH A HIGH-QUALITY BASE. FINISH WITH YOUR DREAM PRODUCT. Be the visionary for your very own fire pit design.

SittingComfortably

Agio is in the perfect spot to maximize growth while maintaining exceptional customer satisfaction.

BY SHARON SANDERS

AGIO (VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA)

is one of the outdoor furniture manufacturers that has managed to navigate the uncertainty of the past few years and emerge a stronger company. Heading into 2023 with new plans and a fresh perspective, it is focused on getting back to the basics so it can move forward with its vision. Patio & Hearth Products Report sat down with Doug Peppler, president, to get a firsthand look at what makes this forward-thinking company so resilient.

Who is Agio? Peppler: From the very beginning in 1996, we knew we

TOP LEFT: Havana sectional with fire pit

TOP RIGHT: Sonata 5-piece fire chat set had to be something different as an import company. I’ve been with Agio for 20 years, and our mission all along has been to produce a product with the same quality available to consumers from the high-end U.S. manufacturers that are being sold in specialty stores.

With that winning formula, Agio created a niche for itself not only with specialty retailers, but also with membership club stores and large retailers. In 2018, we diversified our customer base further by developing Apricity, a line de signed, crafted, and dedicated to specialty retailers. The relationships we fostered with our specialty customers over the years led us to recognize the need for an exclusive brand that would appeal to their customers. Apricity features specialty-only designs and entertaining options that we don’t offer to Agio customers, including dining, deepseating groups, and outdoor fire pit chat groups.

How have the challenges of the past few years touched the company? Peppler: It’s an interesting thing that has happened. We were enjoying many years of forward momentum when we were hit with choppy waters, first in the form of trade tariffs, then COVID, and all that went along with it. From supply chain issues and product shortages to price increases from all of our major suppliers, domestic distribution issues, and labor shortages—the list of things our industry has had to endure is endless. Like everyone in the industry, we’ve had to pivot on many fronts. It was especially challenging as an importer dealing with our partners in China.

How did Agio push through? Peppler: Our teams on both sides of the ocean have really stepped up to the plate. We had to regroup and do many things remotely, such as product design and sample creation, which was a big adjustment for us because our design team was previously traveling to China every few months. It all worked out for the best in the end.

I can confidently say that the communication level and the relationship with our partners in China is as good today as it’s ever been in the 27 years of our company. To survive, we all had to be willing to do whatever it took to get the job done. Now that the industry is ramping back up, we have permanently adopted a lot of the changes. Many of them allow us to work smarter, as well as save time and money for our operations.

What is the company’s priority for 2023? Peppler: We were forced to be reactive instead of proactive for the past few years—so it was difficult to focus on the basics. Our priority right now is to get back to the basics and to be

GrillPros

Bull Outdoor Products takes open-air cooking way beyond the grill with an exciting array of outdoor kitchen accessories.

BY KIMBERLY RODGERS

FOR OVER 30 YEARS, BULL OUTDOOR PRODUCTS

(Lodi, California) has been at the forefront of the outdoor barbecue kitchen industry, manufacturing and distributing premium stainless steel grill islands and components featuring quality, durability, and ingenuity. In fact, Frank Mello, vice president of sales and marketing, says Bull puts all its focus on only one thing—the outdoor kitchen category. “Barbecue is all we do. We don’t make products for the inside of the home or have a line of patio furniture.” As a result, he adds, “We have gained a thorough knowledge of the category and a deep understanding of our customers’ needs.”

Moreover, Bull offers the most complete line of products for the outdoor kitchen. “There is nothing that we do not have,” Mello says. Products include a host of outdoor kitchen islands, built-in and free-standing grills, firepits/tables, and pizza ovens (heads, carts, and tools). Also available are all the components and accessories to fully supply an outdoor kitchen space, from a refrigerator, ice chest, and double tap beer tower to storage doors/drawers, sink, side burners, ventilation hoods, and bar caddy.

Bull’s biggest selling grills, and the flagship models of the company’s lineup, are the Angus and Brahma models. “Our dealers also do very well with our premium double drawer refrigerator. These are all important SKUs,” Mello says. Known for diving deep in the barbecue category to continually bring new and innovative products to market, Bull has several exciting new offerings coming out in 2023.

TOP: The Gourmet G Elm model prefabricated outdoor kitchen in tile-ready finish

MIDDLE: The Center Q outdoor kitchen with smooth solid surface NEW OFFERINGS The Center Q outdoor kitchen, rolling out to key dealers and specifically made for barbecue specialty retail stores, features a smooth solid surface countertop. “It has a modern, contemporary look and resembles granite but is not as expensive. We are very excited about it,” Mello says. At a 114” (length) and 30.5” (depth), the Center Q comes with ample space for friends and family to gather around the island together and enjoy any outdoor space.

The Center Q comes with Bull premium stainless steel components including: the Angus 4 burner grill (75,000 BTU), 6.6 cubic foot deluxe outdoor-rated refrigerator and frame, door/draw combo storage, double trash/recycling drawer, and GFCI outlet. A solid surface countertop and quartzite rock base finish are available in three on-trend color options (gray tone, ivory, and brown). The island also comes with side venting panels, propane tank retention system, and is available in propane or natural gas.

Also joining the new island lineup for 2023 is the Austin Q outdoor kitchen. With measurements slightly smaller to accommodate different space requirements (96” length and 30.5” depth), features and stainless steel components include: Angus 4 burner grill, 4.5 cubic foot refrigerator and frame, double door storage, GFCI outlet, solid surface top and quartzite rock base finish, side venting panels, propane tank retention system, and available in propane or natural gas. The Austin Q offers the same gray tone, ivory, and brown color options as the Center Q, for the top and base.

In yet another innovation, Bull is offering prefabricated unfinished outdoor kitchens that can then be finished on-site. The kitchens will be sold through NPT, a distribution network for POOLCORP, the