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Art Van pleased by reaction to La-Z-Boy Kidz concept
Staff -- Kids Today, 9/7/2005 12:00:00 AM
WESTLAND, Mich. -- Art Van and La-Z-Boy executives met here last week for a formal unveiling of the La-Z-Boy Kidz areas recently rolled out by the Top 100 company.
The area opened in May, but Art Van only recently completed the finishing touches with La-Z-Boy lifestyle signage and point-of-purchase materials, and is only beginning to promote the area, said Bill Barto, president of the 30-store Michigan furniture chain. Art Van's other stores have smaller youth departments with only about a third of their displays dedicated to Kidz. "This (Westland Kidz display) is an experiment to see how we do, and so far we've been very happy with it," Barto said. He added that the one-two punch of Art Van and La-Z-Boy, both well-known Michigan-based brand names, should make for powerful marketing and consumer appeal. "Nothing attracts like the La-Z-Boy name," said Westland Store Manager Laura Thompson. Art Van has sold Lea for years, but since the conversion to La-Z-Boy Kidz, the consumer has really perked up to the product, she said. "It really opens up awareness," Thompson said. "When they hear that it's La-Z-Boy, their confidence level just shoots up." In the four months since Art Van made the conversion in Westland, its youth business is up 18%, Barto said. That compares to overall flat sales for the furniture chain, which has been affected by Michigan's high unemployment and tough economy. "This is probably one of the best presentations of youth that I've ever seen," said Jack Richardson, president of La-Z-Boy's American Drew and Lea companies. "They really played up the display." Along with furniture, the area has a full line of La-Z-Boy Kidz top-of-bed textiles and accessorizing by the Art Van team. Since it launched the program two years ago, La-Z-Boy has rolled out 423 Kidz galleries with 280 retailers. La-Z-boy asks for a commitment of least five groups, though six is the average, Richardson said. Its goal is to have 450 by the end of the current fiscal year, next April. "I think we'll go beyond that," Richardson said. At the October High Point market, La-Z-Boy Kidz will take the program a step further with a seven-piece room-in-a-box accessories package including coordinating items such as a lamp, rug and functional wall art to retail for about $199, said Earl Wang, vice president and Lea brand manager. |
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