After founding Avery Frank Designs six years ago, Richmond, Virginia–based designer Avery Sefcik tapped into neighborhood design resources as a stepping stone to opening his own accounts—a move that provided him access to bigger brands and much-needed support.
Avery SefcikKip Dawkins Photography
When you launched your business, did you immediately open your own trade accounts?
I opened an account with Designer’s Market, a trade-only showroom here in Richmond that is basically like a miniature design center. They carry a lot of furniture brands—from CR Laine to Hickory Chair to Baker—and I gained new access to fabric companies like Schumacher and Kravet. The showroom takes a small markup, but their staff is also super helpful—especially for a one-person band like me. When you order something, you don’t have to worry about sending the fabric to so-and-so, because they order the fabric and send it to the manufacturer for you.
That’s an interesting trade-off between a better margin and high-level customer service.
It can certainly be a big help to have that support. Yes, they’re taking a markup, because of course, they have to make money, but otherwise, I would either have to do that [extra legwork] myself or hire somebody to do it for $60,000 a year.
As you’ve grown, have you changed how you balance sourcing through a showroom versus going direct through a brand?
Absolutely, and I’ve been very upfront about that, especially as I’ve gotten bigger
projects. I’m now direct with about 60 percent of the brands I use.
What kinds of jobs made you want to start to go direct with some of those vendors?
There’s a job I’m working on right now outside Baltimore that I think will get me direct at Hickory Chair. We’ve already ordered product for two of the rooms in the 12,000-square-foot house, and that included five of the brand’s pieces—it’s about $40,000 of furniture, which is the kind of opening order you need for some of the higher-end brands. But I’ll definitely still keep using Designer’s Market, because they’re super helpful and it’s nice to be able to take that work off my shoulders sometimes.
How difficult has it been to meet order minimums as you’re trying to grow? Does it impact what you can offer your clients?
Some brands still want you to have a really big buy-in to get in with them directly, or you need to have a showroom to show off …….
Source: https://businessofhome.com/boh/article/start-with-a-local-showroom
