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Cantoni enters Atlanta with Innovations buy

By Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, April 13, 2003

Atlanta — High-end contemporary specialist Cantoni has entered the Atlanta market with its acquisition of Innovations.

Innovations, with a 22,000-square-foot contemporary store in Atlanta's growing Midtown district, will operate under the Innovations name for 90 days while selling off inventory before converting to Cantoni and becoming the Dallas-based retailer's fifth store.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Innovations founder and Chief Executive Officer Craig White has retired.

The move reflects a Sunbelt expansion strategy for Cantoni, which opened its first store outside Texas in Southern California three years ago and a second there last fall. Cantoni now has more than 100,000 square feet of showroom space in Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Irvine, Calif.

"The Atlanta market has always been a very attractive target for Cantoni since it is a key metropolitan area and an evolving design and home furnishings mecca," said Michael Wilkov, founder and president of Cantoni.

In addition, Wilkov said new loft homes and other developments are revitalizing Atlanta's Midtown.

"It's a happening spot, and we feel we can capitalize on that over the next few years," he said.

Cantoni, which had 2002 sales in excess of $30 million, expects to do $5 million to $6 million in Atlanta its first year, he said.

"We feel (Atlanta) could become a $10 million-plus market for us," he said. "That may require a second store, and we'll make that decision six to 12 months after we've been there, getting a feel for the marketplace."

The showroom will feature Cantoni's international and domestic line of home furnishings, including upholstery and case goods, rugs, lighting, accessories and one-of-a-kind artwork. In addition, 1,000 square feet will be dedicated to a design studio.

Wilkov said Cantoni will "benefit from doing business with an established and loyal base of Innovations' clientele." But he expects some challenges, as Innovations' assortment tended to be more transitional than Cantoni's modern styling, and Innovations concentrated on more midpriced goods.

Wilkov said he doesn't want to lose the middle customer, but wants to eventually reposition the store up in price and with more modern styles while tailoring its assortment to the new market.

Key furniture suppliers are expected to include Cantoni regulars, such as Dellarobbia and Excelsior and Italian case good sources Verardo and Malerba. A growing line of other imported home furnishings will be sold under The Cantoni Collection name.

In 1999, then with three stores, Innovations told Furniture/Today it was on track to do more than $8 million. It has since closed its smaller stores in Norcross and Sandy Springs, Ga., and Wilkov said the company has struggled in recent years. Owner White has been in ill health and uninvolved in the business for the past two years.

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