showroom S H O W C A S E
doing
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differently Kolo Collection’s avant-garde way of selling casual furniture has attracted many loyal customers. by SHARON SANDERS
a
photography by PAUL YUNCKER
tlanta, Georgia’s revitalized Westside area has a reputation for the artistic, upscale vibe of its local retailers and restaurateurs. Situated in the middle of one of the area’s best-known shopping districts is Kolo Collection, a casuallifestyle store that dares to be different. Its husband–wife owners, Greg Martin and Michelle Larrabee-Martin, wouldn’t have it any other way. “Our approach to retailing is to create a showroom that inspires our customers to create their own unique space, and that can only be accomplished if our space and products encourage individuality,” Martin explains. In 2003, the couple opened Kolo Collection in a converted old warehouse in the trendy Atlanta White Provisions district after Larrabee-Martin (a designer) and Martin (whose grandparents owned a furniture store) came up with the concept for their new venture. According to Martin, the store’s location is a major fac-
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Patio & Hearth Products Report May/June 2011
tor that has contributed to its success. “The district has a real urban vibe. It’s like Atlanta’s version of SoHo (New York, New York), which complements the image of our store,” he explains. The foot traffic from the district’s upscale shops and restaurants always brings a steady stream of customers. When shoppers venture into the 4,500–square-foot showroom for the first time, they don’t find what they expect to see in a traditional patio store. The uncluttered, wide-open space has the look and feel of a
designer showroom. Its artistic lighting, high beamed ceilings, raw concrete floors, and massive exposedbrick wall create the ideal backdrop for showcasing Kolo Collection’s distinctive merchandise, which has become its trademark. From the beginning, the owners knew that they weren’t going to carry all the same products that local patio shops carried because they didn’t want their business to become a competition for customers or to be about price. “We are passionate about selling lines that we love—and that we know our customers will love as well,” Martin says. Kolo Collection features indoor/outdoor furniture from fine manufacturers, including DEDON, Royal Botania, AmalfiLiving, Jensen Leisure Furniture, Brown Jordan, and internationally acclaimed designer Richard Frinier. The store also sells pieces from a number of smaller vendors, such as EMU, an Italian company with interesting teak, wicker, and aluminum furniture; Fermob, a French manufacturer known for its colorful chairs and bistro sets; and Loll Designs, a manufacturer that offers modern all-weather furniture made of 100% recycled plastic. Customers also have the option of customizing their furniture with an exclusive line of Italian outdoor fabrics from Maria Flora. For shade, the store carries TUCCI, a manufacturer known internationally for its innovative shade designs and technology. “All of the products we sell on our showroom floor have a unique element to them, yet each piece can be mixed and matched,” Martin explains. Mixing furniture to create a distinctive outdoor space is the concept that drives Kolo Collection. Almost none of the furniture on the showroom floor
Left: The showroom space at Kolo Collection in Atlanta, Georgia, has an urban vibe that is anything but ordinary. Bottom: The Kolo Collection team includes, from left, Greg Morgan, Paul Yuncker, Greg Martin, and Michelle Larrabee-Martin.
is displayed by group or set, and each piece is individually priced. “We often don’t even display dining tables with their matching chairs. We want people to take a beautiful table they like and a beautiful chair they like and put them together,” Martin says. “Creating a room this way makes the furniture look like it was acquired over time, which adds character and makes it feel more like an indoor room.” The store also works with local artisans to create custom pieces (primarily tables and consoles) made of concrete, aluminum, and steel with terrazzo tops, helping customers further individualize an outdoor room. The designers on staff at Kolo Collection spend many hours with customers, helping them design their perfect outdoor rooms—from space planning to furniture, fabric, and accessory selection. At the end of the process, they know that their spaces will be unique, created especially for them. Over the years, Kolo Collection has gained many faithful, satisfied customers. Larrabee-Martin and Martin are eager to share photos of its installations from customers’ houses so that others can see how an outdoor space can be transformed, with the right furniture and accessories. The store maintains a hardcover book with images of its most interesting installations, in addition to running a continuous slide show on a large flat-screen monitor located
on the showroom floor. “It’s nice to be able to pull up images, on the spot, to show designers and customers what the furniture looks like in a real life setting,” Martin says. He also posts videos of installations on YouTube and adds photos to Outdoor Atlanta: The Kolo Collection Blog (www.outdooratl.com), which can be accessed from the store’s website (www.kolocollection.com). The blog automatically links to the store’s Facebook page as well. “We feel that it’s a statement that shows people that if they deal with us, they will be able to create something just as beautiful at their homes. We’ll work within their budgets and environments,” he says. In early 2011, the owners completely redesigned the look of store. They increased the size of the showroom by opening up a back portion of the floor that was once used for storage, updated the color palette on the walls, and added new lighting; they also replaced the art with original pieces from Sally King
Benedict (Charleston, South Carolina), and they brought in a whole showroom floor full of new merchandise. They kicked off the store’s new look with an exclusive party for May/June 2011 Patio & Hearth Products Report
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showroom S H O W C A S E
Kolo Collection showcases images from its home
local interior designers—featuring food, drinks, and a chance to see the new merchandise. Interior designers have always been a large part of Kolo Collection’s customer base. This year, Larrabee-Martin and Martin plan to reach out to interior designers outside Atlanta, which will give them more trade area without having to open another door. Larrabee-Martin says, “Many of our main vendors have given us territory beyond Atlanta, and we’ve decided the time is right to take advantage of that opportunity. We are going to spend the time meeting with designers, introducing them to our lines, and getting catalogs into their libraries, so they know we are available as a resource for them.” The entire Kolo Collection team is looking
forward to a solid 2011. It is excited about what the year will hold, and it has a renewed energy as it shows off the store’s new look and products to customers. Martin says that he is especially optimistic about the store’s growing base of repeat customers; he will make sure that there are plenty of fresh, interesting products on the floor to keep them coming back, year after year. “The last thing we want is for our customers to get bored. We want them to walk into Kolo Collection’s showroom and have a new experience every time,” he explains. “It always makes you feel good when customers keep coming back for more.”
installations so customers can see how an outdoor space, with the addition of the right furniture, can be transformed.
Creekvine Designs Opens With Fanfare ndustry newcomer Creekvine Designs knows that a company needs to do more than just build beautiful leisure products to succeed in today’s marketplace. In order to rise to the top, a business needs to know how to partner with retailers, as well as how to create products that consumers will love. Tim McTighe, owner of Creekvine Designs (Gibsonia, Pennsylvania) and a 19-year veteran of the outdoor-furniture industry, launched the wholesale division in February 2011 and used a clear vision to build his philosophy. “I spent many years on the retail side, and I know that there are certain things a retailer needs to be successful,” McTighe says. “I use that to focus my business on the needs of our retail partners and their customers.” McTighe explains that his central goal is to help retailers become more profitable. To do this, Creekvine Designs creates high-quality, U.S.-made garden and leisure products (with extensive customization, shipping, and warehousing options) to provide first-rate service to retailers. Creekvine Designs’ 2011 offerings include comfortable deep seating, dining collections, swings, gliders, and patio/poolside storage units, in addition to bridges and arbors that beautifully accent any outdoor space. Very popular this year are the company’s outdoordining sets, which use tables that are 42 inches wide to make plenty of room for family-style dining. Most uniquely styled furniture and structures from Creekvine Designs are made primarily of western red cedar; this wood rivals teak in terms of durability and beauty, yet is more affordable for the average consumer. “Red cedar is a material that’s readily avail-
uct. “It’s all about flexibility,” McTighe says. Creekvine Designs holds the same customer-centered philosophy for customizations that it does for its policies on product availability, ordering, and shipping. The company offers customers the ability to buy in high or low volumes, based on their needs. Retailers can preorder merchandise or have it shipped
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able in the United States,” McTighe says. Using domestic woods falls in line with the company’s dedication to creating the majority of its products in the United States. The recent economic climate has inspired many customers to spend their money on U.S.-made goods that keep jobs in the United States, and Creekvine Designs is happy to be a part of that movement. “People will actually look at the label on an item to see where it’s made,” McTighe says. To satisfy customers—and to do its own part for the economy—Creekvine Designs has the majority of its products handcrafted in Pennsylvania. “We can also build private-label designs that will give retailers something unique that none of their competitors will have,” McTighe says. Being able to create custom-designed furniture and structures while keeping the needed volume commitment relatively low is among many benefits that set Creekvine Designs apart. “We have a talented team of designers who can create almost anything to specifications,” McTighe explains. Customization can range from crafting an existing piece from a different wood to styling a brand new prod-
Patio & Hearth Products Report May/June 2011
Top: Chickadee dining Middle: Highland Lake hutch Bottom: Twin Ponds collection
by SHARON SANDERS
in season. Of course, customers can also order products by the truckload or container, if they are interested in discounted pricing. Creekvine Designs drop ships anywhere in the United States. “This aspect of our business is important to me because I worked on the retail side for so many years. I know that cash flow is one of the biggest concerns for many retailers,” McTighe says. The company has also made business easier for its customers by putting its catalog, full price lists, product specifications, assembly instructions, and shipping logistics right on its website, www.creekvinedesigns.com. “We’ve had encouraging feedback so far,” McTighe says, “Retailers just keep telling us how easy and hassle free we make the process.” Having started the wholesale division with the goal of providing first-rate service to retailers, McTighe is pleased with the beginning of its inaugural season. Creekvine Designs has already begun to generate big interest among specialty retailers. McTighe and his team are focused on listening to feedback and making refinements that will position Creekvine Designs as a company with which retailers want to do business. “We’re a personal company that cares about serving retailers well by creating unique and high-quality pieces that are made in the United States,” McTighe concludes. “Selling leisure products should make things fun for the designer, the retailer, and the consumer.”