At Howard Lorton Furniture & Design in Denver, a lot has changed across the 96 years and four generations of family ownership since the store opened its doors.
Some things, such as the attention to detail, haven’t changed at all. That’s true, even down to the smallest detail.
“Howard Lorton’s vision was to bring our clients the best that the industry has to offer,” says Margot Cook, director of business development. “That hasn’t changed. We are a high-end store. Our buyers attend High Point twice a year, as well as the Casual Market. From a patio perspective, given our climate in Colorado, we focus on craftsmanship and quality. With our UV levels, we have to be confident that we won’t run into issues with fading and cracking.”
In Denver, the Lorton’s showroom at 12th and Broadway — 40,000 square feet of home furnishings and 10,000 square feet of patio — is a must-visit for interior designers and customers who are searching for both value and excellent design. The store offers more than 200 of the world’s leading furniture suppliers, which means customers may pick from every possible choice in style, design, color, texture and size, all at competitive prices.
This year, Cook says that market conditions mean that there will be several priorities going forward. “Thankfully, lead times have returned to normal levels facilitating special orders and readiness for patio season,” says Cook. “Merchandising is critical, especially to move inventory that may be a season old, and to present existing inventory in new ways so that returning customers are greeted with new vignettes. While product assortment is important, being selective about new inventory is critical because there’s a risk of being overstocked depending on last year’s inventory and sales while also wanting to appear fresh and new. “
This year, the store is planning to continue to grow its external partnerships, increase the number of events it hosts and continue to grow its brand within Denver and Colorado.
In terms of revenue, Cook said she is expecting little change this year over last, given current economic conditions and that this is an election year.
“I think we pulled a lot of patio customers forward during Covid,” she says. “During a slowdown we keep close tabs on our cash flow, inventory levels and fixed costs, which are increasing. A slowdown also provides us with an opportunity to take a closer look at our processes and where we can make improvements. We are also looking at new ways we can promote our business, products and expertise with a smaller budget but larger impact.”
Cook says that the store’s challenges are not unlike the challenges other businesses face.
“Our challenges are not necessarily unique to our business or even our industry — challenges such as staffing, inflation and inventory,” says Cook. “What is unique to our industry is the influx of business during Covid followed by a slowdown in 2023, or at least a return to pre-Covid volumes. Thankfully, lead times have returned to normal, which is a huge benefit for special orders.”
To meet those challenges, Cook says Lorton’s has worked with local staffing agencies to fill key roles and has used temp-to-hire, which has worked well in the office but not as well in the warehouse. The business ramped up in the warehouse by networking and posting jobs online. Additionally, the business is resetting job roles and expectations across the business to ensure clarity across the company.
“As a small business, we expect a lot of our team, and now is the perfect time to set expectations for the future,” Cook says.
To make the sale, Lorton’s targets its consumers and uses its year-round patio shop to target consumers during the winter months for the following spring season.
“Omnichannel is critical in marketing,” says Cook. “We are focused on finding and targeting our consumer to minimize marketing waste. TV has always been effective for us, but an ad on a broadcast channel that goes to every home during an HGTV show isn’t as effective as an ad that goes just to the Lorton’s consumer watching that show. Creating personas and reaching those clients is critical regardless of the marketing channel. Catalogs and in-home mailers have been a great complement to our traditional marketing but can be more costly. We have to be sure we’re targeting our marketing for the best ROI.”
To compete with online sellers, Lorton’s has long believed that going the extra mile matters.
“Furniture needs to be experienced, especially at the high end and with special orders,” says Cook. “While we have to be cautious of the consumer who visits our store then purchases online, we focus on delivering personalized service to every customer; that can’t be found online. However, consumers want to shop or preview online. Our website is critical, especially the catalog integrations where we can present the full catalog for a manufacturer, even though we may only have part of their line in our store.”
To choose inventory, Lorton’s keeps an eye on trends and works closely with designers to understand what its clients want.
“When we expand to new manufacturers, we start small, expanding over time if the product resonates with our clients and staff,” says Cook. “Our other focus is on the support we receive from our reps and manufacturers. A good rep who will work with and educate our staff is worth their weight in gold.”
To set themselves apart, Lorton’s depends on several factors, she says.
“Our longevity, our staff and our buying set us apart,” says Cook. “Our design staff is incredibly talented, most of whom have been in the interior design and home furnishings industry for over 20 years, making it easy for us to sell off the floor or do special orders. We offer free delivery within the Denver area and even into the local mountain communities. We are committed to our clients, and with a furniture repair technician and upholsterer on-staff, we are able to take care of the furniture end-to-end. As a 96-year-old business, it’s not unusual to see three generations of a family coming in to furnish their homes and patios with us. At the same time, we’re attracting new, younger clients, as Denver and Colorado grow.”
What advice would Cook have for struggling casual retailers today?
“Always be learning and be curious,” she says. “Build partnerships so you can focus on your core business and staff. Finding a good recruiter has helped us find the right people quickly. Posting ads on Indeed, monitoring candidates and tracking that process was not the best use of anyone’s time. We have used temp-to-hire which allowed us to find the right fit. We are starting to work with a local HR firm as well as to reset some of our expectations. We also have fantastic trusted marketing partners.”
