Norwalk renaming stores
Company also updating interiors
By Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, March 24, 2008
Norwalk, Ohio — Norwalk — The Furniture Idea is changing its name to Norwalk Furniture & Design and offering its franchisees an optional interior revamp.
The upholstery producer, which has a dedicated network of stores, said all 59 franchise locations in the United States and Canada will be renamed as will three of the five corporate-owned stores. The two Cleveland-area locations will remain Norwalk Furniture+Design and Norwalk Design Studio.
Norwalk said it will modify the franchise store logos slightly, replacing "The Furniture Idea" with "Furniture & Design." It will advertise the new name and the design services offered by the stores to consumers. Delivery vehicles also will reflect the new "design made easy" focus.
"The new name more clearly reflects who we are and what we do," said Norwalk President Rick McKirahan. The stores offer custom upholstery as well as professional design assistance — "a critical value-added service offered at no additional charge," the company said in a release.
This includes home planning and home visits that a lot of consumers don't know about, McKirahan said.
"We're really trying to reinforce that we have a design team that can take it from idea or inspiration and make it a reality," he said.
For the stores, the cost associated with making the changes will vary depending on factors such as the number of signs that need to be altered, but McKirahan estimated it will be no more than "a few thousand dollars."
The company expects all stores to be converted within 18 months. McKirahan said the response from franchisees has been overwhelmingly positive and he expects most will make the changes immediately, even though they don't have to do so until their franchise agreements are renewed.
The in-store renovations, which can vary from extensive build-outs to a fresh paint job, are led by Debbie McKirahan, company creative director and Rick McKirahan's wife. She "creates touch points through the store that tell the seasonal story and reinforce the Norwalk brand — which includes upholstery selection with custom options and special applications, extensive fabric covers, in-store design assistance and quick delivery," the company said.
Franchisees who already have undergone the changes are reporting 29% to 53% sales increases, according to Norwalk. This includes stores in Fort Collins, Colo.; Raleigh, N.C.; Tempe, Ariz.; Overland Park, Kan.; Bend, Ore.; State College, Pa.; Pensacola, Fla.; and Vancouver, British Columbia.
Norwalk also said its relationship with HGTV personality Candice Olson is helping build awareness among consumers regarding the design services available at the stores.
"Candice is a huge part of our brand and unique design offering, and endorses our professional design team," said Rick McKirahan. He said a new ad campaign with Olson endorsing the service and design team and featuring the new name is expected to air in the next 60 days.
He declined to disclose Norwalk's investment in the campaign.
The company, which offers custom upholstery delivery within 35 days, has been in the upholstery business for 106 years and in franchising for 20. Norwalk's franchisees employ more than 300 designers, most of whom are licensed and are members of American Society of Interior Designers.
Norwalk's dedicated store network is a Top 100 company with estimated U.S. sales in 2006 of $98.8 million and total sales of about $108.6 million from 65 stores in the United States and Canada. A 2007 sales estimate was not available.
