by Startup will feature a good, better, best story across 3 distinct brands
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — Industry veteran Jay Peters is launching a new furniture resource that aims to develop what it describes as three distinctive furniture brands that resonate with sales associates and consumers.
One Crown will include a good, better, best story offering upholstery and some wood furniture including occasional and accents for the living room and other areas of the home.
Peters is the grandson of Standard Furniture founder Mack Hodgson and represents a third generation of family in the business. In addition to his 15 years in sales and merchandising roles at Standard, he led merchandising efforts and also was executive vice president at retailer FFO (Furniture Factory Outlet) Home, for about 11 years. In this role, he helped the retailer grow from 24 to more than 70 locations.
His new startup will include the opening-priced West Main and the midpriced Country King. They will be shown at the October High Point Market in a space that Peters is still currently negotiating.
A third upper-end line is in development, and Peters plans to unveil this sometime later next year, creating a multi-brand assortment that captures a wide price and value product development philosophy that Peters has focused on for much of his career.
“I’ve been in this business my entire life; I wake up every day with a passion for furniture. It’s in my blood!” he said. “One Crown was created to bring something new and refreshing to the marketplace — products that retailers can believe in, stories that retail sales associates can communicate, and furniture that consumers will be proud to own.”
West Main will feature an entry-priced line of fabric motion upholstery along with massage chairs. Manual motion sofas are targeted to start around $699 to $799 retail while sectionals will start at $1,000 retail.
“It’s a small footprint for now, but we will be expanding it,” Peters told Home News Now of plans to include stationary upholstery next spring.
Country King will feature mostly motion upholstery in leather and fabric along with some stationary accent chairs and occasional tables. Fabric sofa prices will start around $1,299 and go up to $2,899 for leather sofas with heat and massage functionality.
Both lines will be made in Vietnam. Country King will offer a mixed container shipping program from Vietnam and also will be available from a U.S. warehouse. The distribution model is still being determined for the West Main product.
In developing the lines, Peters said it was important for each brand to maintain its own identity, product direction and market position, while “sharing a commitment to quality, comfort, style, value and retail partnership.”
He also noted that it was important to offer a product mix that sales associates can sell through a mix of brand displays, educational materials, brand swag and social media messaging.
“I want to help these retail associates have something to present to Mrs. Jones when she comes in the store,” he said. “In today’s age, money is tight and furniture is expensive. We need to give consumers a reason to buy it and tell them a little bit of a story. If you have a story, I just think it means a little bit more. … If there is not a story behind it, or a name with who makes it, I think you are already one strike behind.”
