Furniture business thrives with shoppers in the warehouse
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A Bensenville business is thriving in this weakening economy by letting shoppers search for discounts literally in the store's warehouse.
And, the owners of Interior Express Outlet have noticed more luxury cars pull into their parking lot at 794 Golf Lane.
"My guess is that everyone still wants really nice furniture, but they don't want to pay full price for it," said co-owner Chuck Tanner.
The company offers reduced prices on modern contemporary furniture, he said. The outlet is filled with furniture purchased from the same manufacturers that area upscale furniture stores utilize.
"Our target customers are people who love Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel, but want to get a discount," Tanner said.
The outlet store, which opened less than two years ago, is an offshoot of the Bensenville core business, Wholesale Interiors, an importer/distributor of furniture. The company buys furniture in Vietnam, China and Malaysia and then distributes it nationally, mainly through online stores, including Target and Amazon.
Tanner owns the company with Haowei Shen, who grew up in the furniture industry in China. The men met while working for an online company.
"We saw an opportunity for low-price furniture," Tanner said.
Their company took off, he said, growing about 3,000 percent from 2005 to 2008, when it was included on Inc. Magazine's list of fastest growing companies.
It was after this growth spurt that the owners decided to open the outlet store, which they operate in the middle of their 130,000-square-foot warehouse.
The outlet store features discontinued, overstock and returned merchandise. Couches, chairs, bedroom furniture, home theater and office furniture are included in the mix.
It features about 300 items at any given time, Tanner said, adding prices are targeted to be between 50 and 75 percent off regular retail prices.
"We're constantly changing the merchandise," said Tanner, 40.
The Crystal Lake native is raising his family with in Bensenville. His business partner also lives with his family in the same suburb.
The men say customers are often surprised when they come into the outlet.
"It's in the middle of a working warehouse," Tanner said. "It's huge. You can ride a bike in here," he said with a laugh.
The outlet store is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
For more information, call (630) 238-6675 or check out interiorexpressoutlet.com.
