Showroom changes, development and growth!
Discussion
So around 3 years ago I asked on here about opening a kitchen showrooms.
I already had a bespoke furniture and joinery Manufacturing business that was doing very well but running at full tilt.
Well we opened the showrooms and initially things went well - a big opening party created over 6 months of work, to be honest we should of been seeking work at this point but instead we just ploughed through it.
Eventually the little flurry ended, we started advertising but it took a while to get going.
We were never quiet in the showroom (workshop always busy!) but after the first burst sales slowed down, it was paying its way and making profit but not huge amounts, we were only spending g £90 odd a week on radio adverting and using spare staff from the workshop to man.
This carried on for 18months or so as we concentrated on some huge projects in the workshop.
Strangely the showroom out of nowhere picked up, sales increased dramatically but oddly in bedrooms rather than kitchens - we only had one small bedroom display.
This prompted us to have a rethink so we decided to change some displays and put some bedrooms on display, at this time the landlord offered us some additional rooms - another 50sqm and a great price, with a catch...
The rooms are trashed, but we went for it - we took over Monday.
We are keeping the main showrooms pretty much as is, putting some bedrooms in but getting the decoration and dressings changed.
In the new area we have decided to install some of our bespoke furniture (which we have never showcased before), we have teamed up with some friends of mine who specialise in home automation and cinemas.
So we are having a full 13.2 surround sound home theatre with 3m projection screen and then a seperate meeting room with dining area.
I am a bit nervous but in the past 2 days we have 2 very serious enquiries just with the small word of mouth advertising we have done - there is nothing like this around us at the moment and with the other trades joining us we will be able to offer a full one stop home renovation specialist!
If anyone is still interested or even reading then I will update!
I already had a bespoke furniture and joinery Manufacturing business that was doing very well but running at full tilt.
Well we opened the showrooms and initially things went well - a big opening party created over 6 months of work, to be honest we should of been seeking work at this point but instead we just ploughed through it.
Eventually the little flurry ended, we started advertising but it took a while to get going.
We were never quiet in the showroom (workshop always busy!) but after the first burst sales slowed down, it was paying its way and making profit but not huge amounts, we were only spending g £90 odd a week on radio adverting and using spare staff from the workshop to man.
This carried on for 18months or so as we concentrated on some huge projects in the workshop.
Strangely the showroom out of nowhere picked up, sales increased dramatically but oddly in bedrooms rather than kitchens - we only had one small bedroom display.
This prompted us to have a rethink so we decided to change some displays and put some bedrooms on display, at this time the landlord offered us some additional rooms - another 50sqm and a great price, with a catch...
The rooms are trashed, but we went for it - we took over Monday.
We are keeping the main showrooms pretty much as is, putting some bedrooms in but getting the decoration and dressings changed.
In the new area we have decided to install some of our bespoke furniture (which we have never showcased before), we have teamed up with some friends of mine who specialise in home automation and cinemas.
So we are having a full 13.2 surround sound home theatre with 3m projection screen and then a seperate meeting room with dining area.
I am a bit nervous but in the past 2 days we have 2 very serious enquiries just with the small word of mouth advertising we have done - there is nothing like this around us at the moment and with the other trades joining us we will be able to offer a full one stop home renovation specialist!
If anyone is still interested or even reading then I will update!
Sorry for terrible phone pics - photography is not my strong point.
Bit behind schedule as had hoped to be insulated today but we are still studding!
Most of first fix electrical is done, so the sparkies will jump in with us tomorrow to get the insulation and plaster boarding sped up.
Lower kitchen showroom, bit of a mess;
Conference room;
Cinema;
Bit behind schedule as had hoped to be insulated today but we are still studding!
Most of first fix electrical is done, so the sparkies will jump in with us tomorrow to get the insulation and plaster boarding sped up.
Lower kitchen showroom, bit of a mess;
Conference room;
Cinema;
I am not 100% sure on the audio set up - I stay out of it and butcher wood!
The kitchen and bedroom side tends to be the higher mid range, the workshop is mid to top end - so we have quite a decent average spend!
I don't think we will have want for many full on cinema rooms so are basing the showroom more on a tailored lounge style setup;
so standard seating, we have reduced the screen size today as it was overpowering the room, a mix of living type furniture etc.
It would be nice think we would do more full on home theatres but there are not many houses around here that could take them and with the highly restrictive planing in the national park new builds and large extensions are not so common.
The boys are branded as 'epixx'
Room is 4.9m deep, 5.4m wide and main ceiling 2.5m so not too bad a size, ideally it would of been bigger but beggars can't be choosers!
The kitchen and bedroom side tends to be the higher mid range, the workshop is mid to top end - so we have quite a decent average spend!
I don't think we will have want for many full on cinema rooms so are basing the showroom more on a tailored lounge style setup;
so standard seating, we have reduced the screen size today as it was overpowering the room, a mix of living type furniture etc.
It would be nice think we would do more full on home theatres but there are not many houses around here that could take them and with the highly restrictive planing in the national park new builds and large extensions are not so common.
The boys are branded as 'epixx'
Room is 4.9m deep, 5.4m wide and main ceiling 2.5m so not too bad a size, ideally it would of been bigger but beggars can't be choosers!
Edited by Blakeatron on Wednesday 8th July 21:25
No real updates today, electrics first fix finished, studding complete and now insulation and plasterboarding to do tomorrow.
Plasterer booked for next Tuesday - looking forward to that!
Another walk in enquiry today that sounds promising, fingers crossed - word is getting out.
On the down side I am still fighting the insurance over one of the vans that was crashed into nearly 3 weeks ago
Plasterer booked for next Tuesday - looking forward to that!
Another walk in enquiry today that sounds promising, fingers crossed - word is getting out.
On the down side I am still fighting the insurance over one of the vans that was crashed into nearly 3 weeks ago
Well a bit of a finish to this one, its 99% complete and we had our opening on Saturday. Approx 200 people came over the space of 8hrs - loads of positive comments and some definite orders (including 2 cinemas!) with lots of estimates and follow ups to do.
A few quick snaps;
The main Cinema/home theatre - 100" hd projector, 13 speaker dolby atmos surround, bespoke furniture, the bookcase you can just see is actually a concealed door into the dining room, ipad controlled everything;
Dining/conference room - 55" lcd with heos soundbar, bespoke furniture including hideaway bed and dining table, again ipad controlled;
Adult bedroom - some of our 'purchased' furniture in a small bedroom setting, this is actually the corridor into the cinema room;
Quick shot of the main kitchen showroom, handle less display with bespoke glass splashbacks;
A few quick snaps;
The main Cinema/home theatre - 100" hd projector, 13 speaker dolby atmos surround, bespoke furniture, the bookcase you can just see is actually a concealed door into the dining room, ipad controlled everything;
Dining/conference room - 55" lcd with heos soundbar, bespoke furniture including hideaway bed and dining table, again ipad controlled;
Adult bedroom - some of our 'purchased' furniture in a small bedroom setting, this is actually the corridor into the cinema room;
Quick shot of the main kitchen showroom, handle less display with bespoke glass splashbacks;
I am in Windermere, Cumbria - amazingly 80% of our work is within a 10mile radius! Our delivery van did 3500miles last year.
I have 2 businesses - the showroom was primarily kitchen orientated but lately has swayed equally into bedroom furniture : these are just purchased in and installed.
My main business is design and manufacture of bespoke furniture - hence the showroom extension, everything in the 2 new rooms is made by us in our workshops.
In this business we specialise in high end commercial and domestic bedrooms, so a lot of award winning hotels etc. We also do a lot of bars, receptions, free standing furniture, some joinery and of course cinemas!
I stay firmly in the furniture side and work closely with the AV guys so we can provide a seamless service. I know enough of the tech to get by and they know enough on the furniture so between us we can man the showrooms easily.
I have 2 businesses - the showroom was primarily kitchen orientated but lately has swayed equally into bedroom furniture : these are just purchased in and installed.
My main business is design and manufacture of bespoke furniture - hence the showroom extension, everything in the 2 new rooms is made by us in our workshops.
In this business we specialise in high end commercial and domestic bedrooms, so a lot of award winning hotels etc. We also do a lot of bars, receptions, free standing furniture, some joinery and of course cinemas!
I stay firmly in the furniture side and work closely with the AV guys so we can provide a seamless service. I know enough of the tech to get by and they know enough on the furniture so between us we can man the showrooms easily.
Yes - each business has a website (listed in my profile) although we are on with having a rejig now as we feel they are a bit lacking now.
We don't really have a big online presence, we are well known and respected locally though which is helping us more at the moment. Although we are looking at spreading our area soon.
We don't really have a big online presence, we are well known and respected locally though which is helping us more at the moment. Although we are looking at spreading our area soon.
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