If you like nice stuff but don’t like spending money, then you should always at least consider buying things used. Occasionally there’s an ick factor, but most of the time “pre-owned” stuff is perfectly good and less than half the price. Sometimes it’s even more valuable–like in the case of antique furniture–but today we’re talking about furniture that comes at a discount. That’s what AptDeco offers. They’re a New York, NY based startup that allows you “to buy or sell furniture without the scams, hassle, or creepy people going into your apartment.” This is actually something that I would use if it was available in Chicago because I’m currently trying to sell a couch.
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It almost seems that a person’s comfort with buying something online has an inverse relationship with the item’s size. Books, digital goods (size = 0), and clothing are no brainers these days, but people still seem to prefer an in-person experience when it comes to furniture, cars, and homes. I guess it could be based on cost too. Either way, some things are easier to sell online than others. Home furnishings, decor, and outdoor furniture fall somewhere in the middle, but online will win eventually. Hayneedle is definitely pushing for it. They are an Omaha, NE based company that “has become one of the nation’s largest online retailers, offering more than 3,000 brands and nearly 2 million products for the home.” It all started with Hammocks.com, and they just kept adding niches.
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If you want to see me act like a child, take me furniture shopping on an empty stomach. It’s weird. I really appreciate what good furniture does for a space–whether it’s home or office–I think I just get freaked out by all the fake setups in a furniture store or something. I much prefer looking in a catalog and seeing a really cool office setup or a cozy living room. Even though they’re still staged, it feels more authentic. Haworth is a Holland, MI based company that “can make your environments work harder for you.” In other words, they make and sell furniture that is stylish yet functional (and they sell a lot of it–more than $1 billion a year).
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While I really enjoy reading about entrepreneurs’ personal journeys, I don’t take much interest in their personal lives unless it’s especially relevant to the business’ story. A divorce would typically be completely irrelevant in one of these posts, but today’s it worth talking about. You’ve probably heard of Tory Burch, an extremely successful fashion brand named after its founder (who is now a billionaire). Tory Burch, the person, got divorced from J. Christopher Burch in 2006. After the divorce, Chris Burch decided to start a chain of retail stores called C. Wonder. His ex-wife obviously left a lasting impression, since it’s widely cited that New York, NY based C. Wonder has taken a lot of inspiration from Tory Burch’s designs, while selling the “preppy” goods at a much lower price. There were a few lawsuits and some bad blood, but all seems to be settled now.
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I was way ahead on the flash sales and members only shopping thing. I did a writeup on Gilt Groupe almost five years ago just as the business model was catching on. While there isn’t nearly as much excitement about the space as there used to be, it’s still a great way to sell stuff (time constraints and sales both have amazing psychological effects on people). And that’s why I think it’s worth taking a look at Rue La La. They’re a Boston, MA and New York, NY based company that curates “Boutiques filled with the best of the best in women’s and men’s fashion, home, travel, kids, and more.” Each sale lasts 48 hours and is limited to members only (though becoming a member is about as easy as signing up).
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I got back from vacation last night. Though I already miss the beach and the high 80s temperature, it’s good to be home. For me the best part is sleeping in my own bed and getting back to work in my favorite chair, but “the formula for a happy home is different for everyone.” At least that’s what Serena & Lily says. They’re a Sausalito, CA based company that sells “signature bedding, furniture, and décor for nursery and home” through a catalog, website, and retail stores. They describe their style as “about honoring your sense of adventure and finding the spirit of California wherever you call home.”
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When I’m looking for “the most beautiful things on earth,” I usually go fly fishing for trout. Even if I don’t catch anything, I’m likely to find what I’m looking for. For other people a search for “the most beautiful things on earth” means that they’re going shopping. If antiques, vintage furniture and design, fine art, estate jewelry, vintage couture, and more are what you consider beautiful, then you’ll love 1stdibs. They’re a New York, NY based company that runs an online marketplace for unique and beautiful things. They bring “together more than 1,600 of the most prestigious international dealers” to offer a quality of merchandise that you don’t typically find online. There’s some really cool stuff on their site, so I highly recommend browsing for a bit to get a sense of what they typically sell.
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I’ve mentioned before that if you want to see me act like a hungry, tired five year old, just take me furniture shopping. I’ve only been banned from one furniture store, but that was nearly 20 years ago, and I’m sure the picture of me taped to the cash register no longer looks like me. Now I know why a lot of stores have treats available for kids (usually the sugar high hits by the time the family is gone). One store that I actually kind of like is Design Within Reach. The spaces are usually pretty small compared to other furniture stores, and they have really unique stuff. Design Within Reach is headquartered in Stamford, CT, but they have stores all across the country (and most of their internships are in stores). I always thought the “within reach” part of the name meant affordable, but stuff at Design Within Reach is pretty expensive (though they’re much lower than a lot of other places). Apparently “within reach” means “authentic modern design” that is “not found elsewhere” and is “in stock.” That last one is a big deal. There’s nothing more frustrating than plunking down a huge amount of money only to hear that your couch will arrive in 3-9 months.
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Furniture shopping brings out the worst in me. I tend to revert back to my childhood when my sister and I would team up (by fighting of course) to make our parents miserable so that we could leave the furniture store sooner. Luckily, my fiancée loves going furniture shopping with me. She’s found that if she creates conditions for success (making sure that I’m in a good mood and have recently had a meal), I can actually act like a human being at places like Crate and Barrel. In case you’ve never been to a Crate and Barrel, it’s a giant furniture and housewares store that is essentially my worst nightmare. It all started with one store in downtown Chicago, but now Crate and Barrel is headquartered in Northbrook, IL and has more than 170 stores including CB2 and The Land of Nod locations.
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I’ve made a point of being more active in Cornell’s entrepreneurship community, so I like to think that I do a good job of keeping tabs on which other companies have been started by fellow alums. That’s why I was shocked to learn that the #2 online retailer of home furnishings and housewares was not only a company that I’d never heard of before, but a company founded by two Cornell grads. It’s called Wayfair–they’re based in Boston, MA and did $500 million in sales last year. The reason I hadn’t heard of them is that they were known as CSN Stores until last year (they were founded in 2002). CSN Stores was focused on building out 200+ product specific properties with generic domain names like Bedroomfurniture.com, Cookware.com, AirHockeyTables.com, and AllBarstools.com. Last year they decided to get serious about branding and started pulling all of their sites into the Wayfair brand.
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