Valerie's Furniture and Accents
As seen in the August 2005 issue of Western Reporter
Valerie’s Furniture and Accents
If one word could be used to describe Valerie’s Furniture and Accents, it would be unique. From the moment you step past the large cow greeting customers and through the double front doors, you will notice that it isn’t a typical furniture store and you may never want to leave. Packed wall-to-wall with high-end western merchandise, many customers will take two or three trips around the store to see it all.
Owner Valerie Watters loves that customers take multiple trips around her store and explained, “This keeps our customers in our store longer, which is always a good thing. My employees get to interact more with the customers and develop lasting relationships with them. Most of the customers become like family to us and many come by weekly to see what’s new, as we generally get shipments in everyday.”
Valerie has been in the furniture business for 25 years and loves every day of it. She was first bitten by the “furniture bug” when she was hired for a part-time position at an oak furniture retailer. During her time at this store, she learned many valuable lessons and took in all of the advice possible. Valerie soon tired of the competition in the oak industry and decided to create a unique retail store that would get people’s attention. She opened the doors to Valerie’s Furniture and Accents in 1989, with a distinct theme of high-end western furniture and accessories. The popularity of the store took off and to this day, Valerie’s Furniture and Accents has a reputation of being one of the premier stores representing fine western merchandise.
“I recently had a guy come into the store and he took pictures of everything because he said that the store was so much fun that he wanted to show everyone back at home,” Valerie commented. You won’t find a white wall in this store; every wall is a different color, which makes it a very vibrant place. Everything in Valerie’s store tells a story, so there is a certain flow in the design. The vignettes are jam- packed full of furniture and accessories. While Valerie believes “the more the merrier” when it comes to accessories there also has to be a balance so that the store does not look too cluttered.
In this laid-back store, merchandising and atmosphere are the stores strongest points and a tribute to great success in a small cowboy town like Cave Creek, Arizona. After 13 years in upscale Scottsdale, some people thought she was crazy for wanting to move her location. Valerie said, “We like to have fun. Our customers and staff enjoy the more laid-back western attitude of Cave Creek. We even get to wear cowboy boots.”
Valerie tries to keep her store unique and the showroom fun. She avoids becoming a “cookie cutter” furniture store, offering unique, one-of-a-kind merchandise. Valerie’s Furniture and Accents carries high-quality lines such as Old Hickory Tannery and Burton James. Valerie has developed a special relationship with her manufacturers and often has the manufacturers’ alter the look to fit the store’s style (like adding leather, saddle stitches or suede to the furniture). Valerie’s Furniture also has local artisans from Arizona, Colorado, California, Texas and New Mexico who create custom, one-of-a-kind merchandise for the store. A big supporter of these artisans, Valerie has been with many of her vendors since she opened in 1989. Many suppliers have grown their businesses with hers. Loyalty and long-lasting relationships are a vital part of Valerie’s personality and success.
Customers can also custom order merchandise to best meet their needs. It is very important for Valerie and her employees to keep up with the latest industry trends so that they can constantly improve the store’s merchandise.
Much of the customers’ happiness in the store can be accredited to the fact that the employees love working at Valerie’s Furniture and Accents. With only six employees, it is an intimate workplace and they have become a close family. Often they will play practical jokes on each other and occasionally their well-known customers. Valerie’s Furniture and Accents is a place where the employees love to come to work and Phoenix Magazine recently published an article that said, “It’s not very often that you walk into a store and think, Hmmm… I’d love to work here.”
The employees’ love of working at Valerie’s Furniture shines through in their amazing customer service. The employees build wonderful relationships with the customers, and many customers become a part of their family. Customers are generally greeted by name when they enter the store and enjoy the family atmosphere that Valerie and her staff have created.
Valerie said, “Someone once told me that you would not have a business if you didn’t have happy employees and customers.” This advice has stuck with Valerie through the years and has influenced her employee and customer relations.
Even though Valerie’s Furniture doesn’t have a weekly sales ad, they have no problem getting customers in the door. Advertised in primarily high-end magazines, Valerie’s Furniture and Accents draws a crowd from around the world. Special newsletters, titled “Home on the Range”, are sent out three times a year to customers on Valerie’s mailing list. The newsletters offer store news as well as special coupons for customers only. Customers seem to enjoy the newsletters and many realize that they are on an elite list of people who receive discounts at Valerie’s Furniture.
Another aspect that makes Valerie’s Furniture and Accents unique is their charity work. Being an animal lover and mom to 11 critters, Valerie has raised thousands of dollars for local No Kill Animal Shelters. The proceeds from every event held at Valerie’s Furniture go to the shelters.
Valerie’s love for animals led her to fashion the most creative event the store has ever held. For the ten year anniversary of Valerie’s Furniture, Valerie constructed a campaign called “For the Love of Pets.” She gathered 15 local furniture retailers who donated furniture from their stores and sold raffle tickets. In the end, the store who sold the most raffle tickets won donated prizes, and all of the proceeds from the raffle went to No Kill Animal Shelters. Even though it was a lot of hard work, Valerie replied, “The event was very successful. Not only did we raise money for a good cause, but it solidified a lot of my relationships with other furniture stores.”
In the near future, Valerie hopes that very few things will change at her store. When asked what her goals were for the future, she replied, “To keep a good name for the store and provide a good service.”
Valerie is very satisfied on how the store is running and even though years ago she had thoughts of expanding the company and opening another store, she has come to realize that she is very content with one store. Success has followed Valerie throughout the years and last year Valerie’s Furniture was declared “Best Cowboy/Cool Furniture Store” in the Valley by Phoenix Magazine.
Valerie has found a winning combination of unique merchandising and terrific customer service that will keep customers visiting and enjoying her store for many more years to come.
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