Slumber Kids features choices for every age
By Jane Kitchen -- Kids Today, 2/1/2006
Pineville, N.C.— Every city has a "Furniture Row," and in the Charlotte metro area, the suburb of Pineville hosts a slew of the latest big box furniture stores, including Rooms To Go, Haverty's, Boyles, La-Z-Boy, Ethan Allen, Storehouse and Bassett Furniture Direct — all right next to the Carolina Place Mall. Nestled among them is one of three Slumber Kids stores, a local youth specialist with other locations in Matthews and Huntersville.
The Pineville Slumber Kids is 3,000 square feet, while the Matthews store is 5,200 and the Huntersville location is 1,600. The first store was opened six years ago, and today the retailer floors a mix of youth furniture from the likes of Barn Door, Young America, Moosehead and Flexa and its own import brand, New Energy. Slumber Kids is also a La-Z-Boy Kids gallery, with a large section of its youth devoted to Lea products. Bedding comes from California Kids and Pinecreek, and accessories from CBK and Creative Images.
General Manager Fay Marcus reports that the store caters mainly to kids ages 5 to 12 years, and the space has a youthful appeal, with a large mural on the wall with airplanes and hot air balloons.
While the store has done no advertising yet, word of mouth, a Web presence and advantageous locations have served to draw customers in and boost business, along with promotions such as no payments, no interest for 12 months.
Marcus said the store draws shoppers from all over the state, as well as neighboring South Carolina, and that Charlotte's housing boom has helped to grow the business.
But Slumber Kids is more than a youth specialist — the store has also floored cribs since its inception, with models from Young America and Child Craft/Legacy and gliders from Little Castle.
The Pineville store, with its suburban location a draw for young first-time parents, is focusing more on the infant side than the other two, with five cribs on the floor and three more on the way.
Marcus said the store is also adding single dressers with changing table tops, and is entertaining the idea of adding high-end strollers and high chairs.
"We want to cover every age," said Marcus. "We are a specialty store."
Slumber Kids caters mainly to kids ages 5 – 12, with items from manufacturers such as Moosehead.
