Art Van scores big with La-Z-Boy Kidz galleries

Westland, Mich.— Art Van and La-Z-Boy executives met here last month for a formal unveiling of the La-Z-Boy Kidz areas recently rolled out by the Top 100 company.

In its 63,000-square-foot Westland store, Art Van has devoted roughly half the space of its 6,000-square-foot youth gallery to the La-Z-Boy Kidz concept, which brings product from youth specialist Lea Inds. under the better-known La-Z-Boy brand name. It will regularly show 11 to 12 groups here, everything from twin beds retailing from $299 to $799 to loft beds retailing at $1,099 and up with built-in sleep, study and storage functions.

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 about a third of display dedicated to the Kidz groups.

"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-know 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 rate 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 the furniture, the area has a full line of La-Z-Boy Kidz top-of-bed textiles and sharp 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 at 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 this month's High Point furniture 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.

Cutting the ribbon at the La-Z-Boy Kidz area in Art Van's Westland, Mich., store are Mike Wiseman, left, Art Van, Westland; Tom De Corte, Art Van, Warren, Mich.; Laura Thompson, Art Van, Westland; Earl Wang and Licia Williams, La-Z-Boy Kidz; Jack Richardson, American Drew and Lea; and Bill Barto, Art Van, Warren.