Natuzzi store gains traction
By Brian Carroll -- Furniture Today, January 28, 2007
Cologne, Germany — Natuzzi is using its flagship store here to experiment, to build its brand, to learn about the German market and, this year, to introduce furniture to the trade.
The 15,000-square-foot store just closed out its first year of business and rung in the new year with a glitzy new café. The café and espresso bar shows off Natuzzi-designed tabletop and seating, complementing the sophisticated room vignettes throughout the main store space.
"This city is so important to the trade and to the industry," said Daniele Tranchini, Natuzzi's chief sales and marketing officer. "It gives us a window on the German market."
Natuzzi shuttled International Furniture Fair buyers from the fairgrounds to the store in the city's center, where three new leather groups were on display in fully vignetted room environments. Giving dealers a double-barreled product display, the company's IFF show space was used to model an in-store Natuzzi gallery presentation. Last year the company hosted only a small image stand.
The new groups are designed to "make the living room welcoming," said Pasquale Natuzzi, chairman, who made a surprise appearance at the fair. Three style themes organized the introductions — Casual Esprit, a Mediterranean look; Urban Feel and Vintage.
Also newsworthy was what did not appear either in the store or in the show space — dining room furniture. The company was expected to roll out its first dining room collection at the fair but held back to spend more time fine-tuning the program.
"We are still developing the concept," Tranchini said. "We are known for very precise design and stylistic consistency, so we want to make sure it meets our standards."
He didn't give a precise timeline for rollout, saying the company is still testing and getting feedback on a sideboard.
"We are not quite ready to bring it out," he said. "It has taken us two years to really learn how to manage accessories and wall units. There is no need to rush it."
Natuzzi sells through 278 of its own stores throughout the world and 560 galleries, Tranchini said. High on the agenda for 2007 are establishing high-end, stand-alone stores in the United States, including its first stores in the Chicago market.
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