Jun 10, 2008

Chicago Market announces Retailer of the Month

CHICAGO, IL – The Chicago Market: Living and Giving is proud to announce the first edition of the Retailer of the Month program and its June 2008 honoree. The ROTM program is designed to acknowledge exceptional retailers who are making a difference in the gift industry, as well as to provide inspiration to other retailers who can benefit from the winners’ stories.

Congratulations to the June 2008 Retailer of the Month, Debbie Dusenberry of Curious Sofa in Prairie Village, Kansas.

After 19 years as a photo stylist Debbie (Deb) Dusenberry took a step out of the ordinary to create her inspirational boutique, Curious Sofa. This combination antique/gift store must be seen to be believed but a virtual visit to her Web site or blog is almost as good as the real thing.

Dusenberry started her website the “moment” she got her business license in 2000 and says she began small with, “only one page with hours and location and today it is a full-on brochure showing the store, merchandise, press and info.” Because she couldn’t keep the professional site updated with new product shots and anecdotes, Dusenberry started a blog in 2006 where she, “show(s) new products and post(s) store events A.S.A.P.” She adds, “We see a dramatic increase in sales when I post new merchandise on the blog.”

On creating an exciting store, Deb says that she learned early on that special events can drive sales. Consumers, she explains, want to be, “singled out, invited, dazzled and impressed.” Although events take a lot of work and planning, Dusenberry feels they pay off. She even shifted her advertising budget solely to direct mail postcards to advertise special events including the Curious Sofa Estate Sale, and the VIP Christmas Party.

The secret to Dusenberry’s business, aside from fabulous store events and an over-the-top website, is her passion. She says, “I have always loved antiquing, decorating and shopping unusual boutiques, so I wanted to [create] a store with a great mix of new and old home furnishings with hand selected products you couldn’t find anywhere else. All of [my] interests have come full circle with owning my own retail store as I use and enjoy them every day.”

Dusenberry’s Six Steps to: Work it. Fine tune it. Sell it!
#1: Stay on top of your business. There should not be any aspect of your store that you do not know something about. The money, the hiring, the buying and selling, display and book work should never be run 100% without your knowledge. Delegating is important but complete ignorance is just wrong.
#2: Stay educated: On merchandise, your employees, your vendors, your customers and the state of retail.
#3: Build your brand: This is Dusenberry’s #1 piece of advice for any business today trying to survive. You may not create your own goods but by all means build an identity that separates you from everyone else.
#4: Be exciting: Show your customers something different. Change your store often, keep it clean and organized. Don’t be lazy.
#5: Master the art of customer service: Hire the right people and be a happy, inviting place to go.
#6: Build a network: You can start at Dusenberry’s shopowner blog http://shopowner.blogspot.com/

For more information about Dusenberry and Curious Sofa, please visit www.curioussofa.com or http://curioussofa.blogspot.com.

Each month a different retailer is to be featured. To nominate someone you know for Retailer of the Month e-mail Sara Hall, buyer relations manager, at shall@mmart.com.