Stanley's Young America launches gallery program
By Jane Kitchen -- Furniture Today, October 17, 2004
At the Market — With an emphasis on furniture that grows with children, Stanley's Young America is launching a gallery program here for retailers willing to dedicate at least 2,000 square feet to the youth brand.
The Young America Signature Shop features a horseshoe layout with vignettes that illustrate the company's new tagline, Built to Grow, and the four lifestages it has identified as key shopping points for youth: infant, preschool, tween and teen.
Glenn Prillaman, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Young America, said he hopes to open between 25 and 50 Signature Shops this year.
Young America will provide the architectural renderings, floor plans, fixtures and graphics, plus a suggested vendor list for coordinating linens, accessories, lamps and rugs.
The layout has a design area in the center that features live, real-time ordering, so a retailer can instantly tell whether an item is in stock. Kiosks allow tech-savvy customers to surf the Young America Web site and see photos of additional style and color choices, then print out selections.
At least two vignettes must be dedicated to each of the four lifestages for a total of eight in a 2,000-square-foot gallery. Prillaman said the idea is to get consumers to narrow down where their child is in the four stages, which helps salespeople steer them to an appropriate area.
"We're creating an experience that's greater than the product itself," said Prillaman. "People are ... interested in their kids' needs rather than what's new."
With cribs available in 12 Young America collections, the company is looking at nursery furniture as a viable first stage in juvenile furniture, and Prillaman said helping consumers understand the different lifestages will help launch the Young America Baby line.
The Signature Shop is based on consumer research on how people want to shop, he said. The area has an open feel and a place for kids to play while parents shop.
As part of the launch, Young America is debuting a private-label youth mattress program featuring kid-friendly details like a moisture barrier and antimicrobial agents, with retails from $249 to $299 in twin.
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