At a time when business owners are fearing the economic backlash brought on by a widespread housing slump, a Minnesota-based patio furniture and accessories retailer that recently filed bankruptcy has a plan for getting back in the game. Seasonal Concepts, which once operated 15 stores in six states, plans on cutting back their six remaining stores to three - and shifting the focus to quality, personal customer service -to stay afloat in these challenging times, the Star Tribune reported.
New owners Mark Austin Smith and Greg Daniel are hoping that this slimmed-down, customer-centered approach will help the once thriving company regain profitability.
“We're going back to three really well-run Minnesota stores with white-glove service and relationships with all of our customers,” Smith states in a Star Tribune article. “When patio furniture gets delivered, we envision the delivery person having an iced tea with Mrs. Smith - not just throwing it on the curb and saying, 'See ya later.'”
The personal touch will help distinguish Seasonal Concepts from big box competitors, Daniel tells the Star Tribune. The product is more high-end. The service is high-touch, personal, intimate. You won't find this at Home Depot.”
Seasonal Concepts' roots trace back to 1962 under the name Flowertown, the paper reports. Founders Carl Wolk and Marvin Stillman sold plastic flowers imported from China out of the Bloomington, Minn., storefront, the spot where the flagship store still operates. The company quickly added patio furniture, artificial trees, holiday decorations and other merchandise.
As outdoor living enjoys a retail boom, the Star Tribune reports, competition has grown as well. For independent garden center owners, homeowners' interest in transforming their backyards into a cozy, vibrant living space translates into potential new revenue streams. The sluggish economy might be making it hard for businesses to cash in on this growth opportunity, but with some resourcefulness and efforts to distinguish yourself from the competition - as the new owners of Seasonal Concepts are doing - your business will be well positioned to thrive once the housing market takes an upward swing (and it will!).
