Cantoni opens outlet, Atlanta store
By Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, August 11, 2003
Dallas — High-end contemporary home furnishings specialist Cantoni has opened a clearance outlet here and its first Atlanta store, pushing its store count to six.
The 25,000-square-foot Cantoni Outlet Center, on Simonton Road across from the retailer's distribution center here, will sell regular Cantoni merchandise that has been dropped, discontinued, damaged or slightly used, said Michael Wilkov, president and chief executive officer. All of Cantoni's stores in Texas, California and now Georgia will be feeding the outlet.
"With our growth we've obviously needed a (central location) to move our dropped and discontinued merchandise," he said.
Prices at the outlet will be 30% to 60% of Cantoni's regular prices. Wilkov said the center will be a great resource for customers who can no longer find pieces they are looking for on Cantoni's regular showroom floors.
Eventually, the retailer will look to buy goods specifically for the outlet, through existing suppliers. Cantoni expects it will be able to help vendors unload overstocks or other goods by buying large quantities at low prices that it can pass on to consumers, he said.
"It's something we wanted to do for a long time," Wilkov said. "We have this following in Dallas, people who have shopped our warehouse sales for years. We feel this will be a great venue that people can shop on a week-to-week basis instead of once or twice a year."
The new Midtown Atlanta store on Monroe Drive had a soft opening July 19. It occupies a 22,000-square-foot former Innovations store, the assets of which Cantoni acquired last spring.
After renovation work estimated to have cost more than $500,000, Cantoni has stocked the showroom with its contemporary lineup from key suppliers including Dellarobbia, Excelsior, Verardo and Malerba.
The store also carries the retailer's growing line of imported goods sold under The Cantoni Collection private label.
The new store brings a broad mix of high-end contemporary and design services to an area that Wilkov said has not offered such resources through a single store.
"The Cantoni name has become synonymous with contemporary design in home furnishing throughout our retail market locations in Dallas, Houston, Irvine (Calif.) and Los Angeles," he said. "So now, Cantoni is ready to become a part of the Atlanta market, and we feel extremely positive about the outcome."
He is looking for the store to do $5 million to $6 million in its first full year and projects that Atlanta could become a $10 million-plus market. Cantoni is contemplating a second store for the market, and Wilkov expects to make a decision after the first store has been operating for six months to a year.
While Cantoni continues with aggressive growth plans, business conditions have been tough this year, Wilkov said. Still, he projected sales will increase to $35 million to $40 million this year, up from more than $30 million last year. The retailer doesn't provide exact sales figures.
