BoConcept

BoConcept
Boconcept Holding a/s-b (BOCONB:Copenhagen)
Designer and manufacturer of modern design furniture
Founded Herning, Denmark; 1952
Founder Jens Ærthøj Jensen and Tage Mølholm
Number of locations
 Approximately 300 world-wide
Key people
  • Torben Paulin; CEO (2013)
  • Hans Barslund; CFO, Vice President (2013)
  • Troels Dyrup Petersen; COO (2013)[1]

BoConcept, headquartered Herning, Denmark, is a high-end Danish designer and manufacturer of sleek modern design furniture, with an emphasis on fashion and functionality, that has approximately 300 locations around the world.[2] [3][4][5][6][7][8] It was established in 1952.[5] The company appeals to a younger, "hip" consumer base.[7]

History

In 1952, Danish craftsmen Jens Ærthøj Jensen and Tage Mølholm opened a furniture factory in Herning, Denmark, which was the beginning of BoConcept.[5] The goal of the founders was to manufacture quality, attractive, functional, good-value furniture.[5]

In 2012, BoConcept collaborated with architect and industrial designer Karim Rashid, to create the Ottawa Collection.[3] The line won the Red Dot Design Award.[3]

In 2013, BoConcept collaborated with Mercedes-Benz, the manufacturer of Smart cars, on a new furniture line and Smart car design that highlights their common focus on urban living, functionality, and good design.[3][9] The idea to collaborate was driven by the fact that the two companies had similar customer demographics: city dwellers in their late 20s to 50s who were high-income and embraced the urban lifestyle.[3] As of April, there were fewer than a dozen Smart ForTwo BoConcept signature cars, but the carmaker plans to start selling them in the Fall of 2013 for approximately $20,000.[3] At the same time, the store is experiencing a high level of sales of clocks resembling the circular dashboard gauges on the Smart car.[3]

Today

BoConcept is today a global retail furniture chain.[3][5][7][10] It has 230 franchise brand stores, and 90 studios.[5] Most of its stores in the United States are on the East Coast.[11] As of 2013, its CEO was Torben Paulin, its CFO was Hans Barslund, and its COO was Troels Dyrup Petersen.[1]

BoConcept manufactures and sells furniture and lifestyle products, including sofas, beds, sofa beds, chairs, stools, armchairs, tables, desks, sideboards, room dividers, TV and stereo units, night stands, mattresses, and wardrobes.[2] It also offers accessories such as mirrors, candlesticks, vases, shelves, bookcases, frames, tableware, footstools, sculptures, wall clocks, cushions, throws, bed covers, duvets,pillows, rugs, door mats, pendants, and lamps.[2] It manufactures furniture in Denmark, as well as in other parts of the world.[5]

Niki and Shaokao Cheng, social movers who are connected to New York celebrities, own all five BoConcept stores in New York City, at which they have hosted art shows by artists such as Julio Gaggia and concert pianist/artist Chau-Giang Thi Nguyen.[12][13][14][15][16] Their clients include Susan Sarandon, Faye Dunaway, Brooke Shields, P. Diddy, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, Estelle, Lil’ Kim, and Patti LaBelle.[12][17] BoConcept New York's furniture has been featured on shows such as NBC's The Apprentice, Bravo's Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and Bravo's Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List.[17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "BOCONCEPT HOLDING A/S-B (BOCONB:Copenhagen): CEO & Executives". Business Week. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Contemporary Furniture – Modern Furniture". BoConcept. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Susan Thurston (April 17, 2013). "BoConcept furniture, Smart car join hands". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  4. ↑ Tim Hill (2008). Buying Property in Poland. Cabal Group Limited. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 "BoConcept History". Boconcept.us. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  6. ↑ Julie Catterson Lindahl (2005). On My Swedish Island: Discovering the Secrets of Scandinavian Well-being. Penguin. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Jennifer Litwin (2005). Furniture Hot Spots: The Best Furniture Stores and Web Sites Coast to Coast. Globe Pequot. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  8. ↑ Linda Marx (December 2009). Dine Art. Palm Beach Life. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Car collaboration between Smart and BoConcept covered up after permit snafu". New York Post. March 30, 2013. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  10. ↑ Marc Fleury (2007). Paris habitat. Petit Futé. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Dwell". March 2005. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Grant, Drew (December 11, 2012). "The Ottoman Empire: The Power Couple Behind BoConcept". New York Observer. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  13. ↑
  14. ↑ Grant, Drew (May 2, 2013). "River of Diamonds: Vietnamese Artist Coco Holds Gallery Show at BoConcept". New York Observer. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  15. ↑ Cindy Adams (April 26, 2013). "Chau-Giang Thi Nguyen, former fiancee of Brian Grazer, unveils her new paintings in SoHo with chef Laurent Tourondel". New York Post. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  16. ↑ Garvey, Marianne. "Katie Couric's hard line of questions during talk-show chat leaves Joan Rivers 'furious'". NY Daily News. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Archives". The Star. December 25, 2011. Retrieved August 3, 2013.

External links