Cramerton, N.C. — Located in this small bedroom community 10 miles west of Charlotte, Baker Furniture Co. has just completed a major remodeling and expansion aimed at doubling its sales.
Family-owned Baker Furniture is a one-store operation that now boasts a 50,000-square-foot showroom, following a 30,000-square-foot addition, as well as a renovation of its existing 20,000-square-feet space, completed in March.
Focusing on the middle to middle-high price range, Baker was started in 1949 by Floyd "Red" Baker, father of Sandra Baker Van Pelt. Sandra, along with husband Jim and their son, Greg, and daughter Holly Van Pelt Hite, now run the business. That's it — just the four family members working the sales floor backed up by a warehouse manager and an experienced delivery team.
Sales hit $5 million in 2002, and the family is looking to double that volume in five years and hit $20 million in 10 years. These are ambitious goals, but the vision and plan are taking shape. That vision includes another 50,000-square-foot addition to house a design center for flooring, window treatments and cabinetry.
Maintaining the tradition on which Baker founded the company, the Van Pelts build relationships one family at a time. Customers are greeted by name, and usually one of the Van Pelts makes mention of a new baby, grandbaby or the passing of a close relative. It's the small things that go a long way toward building a strong core of repeat business.
When the Van Pelts decided in 2000 to expand their showroom, they all started shopping. Whenever and wherever they traveled, the family looked at other furniture stores for ideas to bring to the new space.
Feels like home
Those bucketsful of ideas turned into a homey, comfortable shopping space that feels like home. From the dry-stack fireplace at the entrance to the soft, interior lighting to the stylish wall colors to the family pictures sitting atop consoles and bedside tables, Baker Furniture subtly says "welcome home."
"We wanted to encourage our customers to come in and stay awhile and browse through the entire space," said Jim Van Pelt. "We designed the building ourselves. We wanted a building that would have character, but it also had to be functional."
To encourage browsing, Baker changes merchandise every 90 days so its displays stay fresh.
Functionality comes into play in the store's fabric library and catalog display space, which is adjacent to the office and checkout area. Work tables are close by, giving consumers access to fabric racks and numerous catalogs, as well as assistance and advice on products, colors, styles and delivery times.
Adjacent to the work area, the retailer put in an updated bedding gallery that includes several case pieces to soften the display. Baker now sells Spring Air exclusively after changing a year ago from Sealy and Stearns & Foster.
"We wanted to make it look and feel more like a bedroom by adding the case goods," Van Pelt said. Metal beds are no longer displayed with the bedding but rather are showcased in their own area for greater impact.
The sluggish economy aided in the store's renovation project by yielding lower interest rates and cheaper materials and labor. Before the construction of the new portion of the store could begin, five buildings on the store's five-acre site had to be demolished.
"We knew we needed to spend the money then," Van Pelt said. "It was perfect timing. When the economy comes back, we're now in a good position.
"I still think there's a lot of pent-up demand for furniture. People are buying nice homes, but there's no furniture in them. When it bounces back, I think it will be strong."
Destination shopping
Situated between Charlotte and Gastonia, N.C., with a population of 2,976, Baker's home of Cramerton — a former mill town — is undergoing a resurgence as a bedroom community for the Queen City. In addition to Baker Furniture, Cramerton boasts one grocery store, one bank, a smattering of antique stores and a few other retail stores.
But the location, rich in heritage, is a strength, said Van Pelt.
"Small towns closer to larger towns are thriving," Van Pelt said. "People feel more comfortable in a relaxed area. They have a tendency to buy when they're comfortable."
To compete with the various stores in the Charlotte area — including Boyles, Ethan Allen and Thomasville — Baker works only with suppliers that will guarantee product exclusivity within its home market of Gaston County. The store sells close to 75 lines, all of which have some products on the showroom floor, to tell a good-better-best story that consumers can understand.
Another critical area that speaks to consumers is pricing. As a general rule, Van Pelt said the store tries to stay 15% to 20% below what consumers would find in the nearby markets of Charlotte, High Point or Hickory, N.C. The pricing may nab first-time customers, but Van Pelt ensures that customer service and satisfaction hold them.
"We don't do nationwide sales or shipping," he said. "We have to keep our customers satisfied. We sell more customer satisfaction by making sure our customer is well pleased."
Balancing the needs of growing the business while keeping customers happy is leading Baker to take on additional showroom help. Working 50,000 square feet with four people on a busy Saturday is simply no longer feasible.
To meet its goals, Baker is looking for some good interior designers — 15 to be exact — to work 20 hours a week on commission. However, Van Pelt said, finding just the right people for the store's casual, no-pressure sales floor is a delicate matter.
"As we grow, we have to have help," said Van Pelt. "But we're determined not to lose our no-pressure approach to selling.
"It's a family business, and it's always been a family business. That's what our customers know, and that's what they like."
