Room & Board

Room & Board flagship store in SoHo, New York City

Room & Board is an American modern furniture and home furnishings retailer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

John Gabbert founded Room & Board as a subsidiary of his parents' successful furniture store company (Gabberts), of which he served as president. Unlike the other stores, Room & Board specialized in stylish and modern furniture and soon spun off to become an independent company with Gabbert at the helm.[1] It presently has 715 employees and operates 14 stores in eight states plus six delivery/distribution centers around the country,[2] and has plans to open a new location in Boston, Massachusetts, in the spring of 2014.[3]

According to the company's website, 90% of Room & Board products are American-made and 95% are exclusive to Room & Board. The company partners with small, family-owned businesses to produce its sofas, chairs, tables, office, bedroom, and outdoor furniture.[4] Room & Board's Shop From Home business, which consists of a print catalog and website, is the fastest-growing segment of its business.[2] Room & Board's Business Interiors division provides floor planning services, product suggestions, and commercial rating information.[5]

Hoover's lists IKEA, Pier 1 Imports, and Euromarket's Crate & Barrel as competitors.[2] Room & Board returns are all sent to the company's Golden Valley, Minnesota, distribution center, attracting local buyers as well as shoppers from surrounding states.[6]

Locations

Major designers

Publicity

Room & Board was named one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" by Minnesota Business in 2013.[7] The University of Virginia Darden Graduate School of Business professor Edward D. Hess profiled Room & Board's growth strategy in his book Grow to Greatness: Smart Growth for Entrepreneurial Businesses."[8] In 2011, Internet Retailer mentioned Room & Board's online furniture shopping system in their "The Hot 100" article.[9]

The Wall Street Journal profiled Room & Board's policy giving customers a two-hour delivery window as an example of companies working to decrease wait windows and improve customer communication.[10] Interior designer Christine Edmonds recommended Room & Board for their consistent pricing on "well-built, good-value, timeless pieces that mesh with just about any décor" in Money magazine.[11]

Room & Board's products are often featured in The New York Times.[12] Vladimir Kagan, designer of a 1950s Serpentine sofa that sold at Christie's for $190,000, made a copy called Hahn, configured with the back on the left or right, that the Room & Board website sells for $2,299.[13][14] Room & Board's Evans table is highlighted as a handcrafted domestic design within Dwell's "Made in the USA" issue.[15] Real Simple featured the company's Murray sofa, Evans table, and Bond table as classic pieces at affordable prices.[16] CBS-LA online included Room & Board in their list of Best Furniture Shops in OC in 2014.[17]

In June 2015, Room & Board's Boston location won a Best of Boston award in the category of Best Furniture, Classic.[18] In July 2015, Room & Board's Denver location won a 2015 5280 Magazine Editor's Choice Top of the Town award in the Home Furnishings category.[19] In November 2015, Room & Board's Atlanta location won a Best of Atlanta award in the category of Best Made in the USA Home Design.[20]

Philanthropy

Room & Board supports organizations dedicated to supporting those living with HIV/AIDS and institutions celebrating art and design.[21] In August 2012, the company joined the Minnesotans United for All Families coalition to stand against the state's amendment to ban marriage for same-sex couples.[22] Since 2002, Room & Board has sponsored a design competition for the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) to develop modern furniture design.[23]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Fran Howard, Why Jim Gabbert Fired Himself, Twin Cities Business, January 2007.
  2. 1 2 3 "Room & Board, Inc.". Hoover's. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Room & Board to Open Location in Boston." (June 28, 2012). Apartment Therapy.
  4. ↑ "About Us". Room & Board. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Business Interiors." Room & Board. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
  6. ↑ Ewoldt, John (October 10, 2005). "Plug into a hot outlet". Star Tribune. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  7. ↑ Hill, Caitlin (June, 2013). "Feature: The 100 Best Companies to Work For, 2013"
  8. ↑ Hess, Professor Edward D. (March, 2012). "Grow to Greatness: Smart Growth for Entrepreneurial Businesses."
  9. ↑ Davis, Don (December 1, 2011) "Internet Retailer Unveils its annual list of the Hot 100 e-retailers"
  10. ↑ Smith, Ray A. (February 29, 2012). "The Wait-Time Misery Index." Wall Street Journal
  11. ↑ Lee, Anne C. (July 22, 2011). "Best furniture deals - plus, expert picks." CNNMoney
  12. ↑ Hamilton, William L. (May 5, 2005). "Day and Night, You Are the One". The New York Times. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
  13. ↑ Rohrlich, Marianne (May 11, 2006). "Currents: Who Knew?; A Midcentury Knockoff From the Man Who Designed the Original". The New York Times. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
  14. ↑ "Hahn". Room & Board. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  15. ↑ "Made in the USA." Dwell. (October, 2011.)
  16. ↑ "Affordable Classic Furniture." Real Simple. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
  17. ↑ Lavdas, Debbie (26 August 2014). CBS-LA http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/top-lists/best-furniture-shops-in-oc/. Retrieved 26 August 2014. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  18. ↑
  19. ↑
  20. ↑
  21. ↑ "Birdhouse: Unleashed! Artwork Displayed for an Entire Week at Room & Board Downtown Chicago Store." PRNewsWire. Retrieved July 24, 2013.
  22. ↑ Lloyd, Katie (August 29, 2012). "Room & Board Opposes Minnesota's Marriage Amendment."
  23. ↑ "Room & Board Design Competition." MCAD. Retrieved July 24, 2013.
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