At The Top - March 2001

Terri’s Quality Furnishings New and Consigned

Getting the Best for Less

by Lynn Goya

Anyone who has a penchant for unique furniture has probably been to Terri’s Quality Furnishings New and Consigned, a local franchise that started almost six years ago and has taken off like a rocket. Co-owners Colleen Aiken and Tom Alvernaz knew they had spotted something original when they strolled through the home store, formerly Terri’s Consign & Design, in Phoenix, and saw a blend of new and used quality furnishings in intimate vignettes showcased like a high-end furniture store. Founder Terri Bowersock started her first store with $2,000 in 1979 and found that homeowners were thrilled to find brand-name furniture, such as Ethan Allen, Thomasville, Drexel and Lane, at a fraction of the cost of new. Since then, Terri’s has grown into a multi-location network of superstores, making it the largest consignment furniture store business in the country. Each franchise is privately owned and independently operated.

At the time of their Phoenix visit, Aiken and Alvernaz were looking for a low-cost business to start up. "I thought recycling furniture was a thing of the future and a great idea," said Aiken. Las Vegas was in the midst of a homebuilding boom, and Aiken knew many homeowners would appreciate this kind of store for a variety of reasons. Whether patrons were coming in to fill their home at a fraction of the cost of new furniture, or whether they were looking for a unique accent piece to make a statement, Las Vegas did not have a store that mixed antiques with new and "gently used" high-end furniture and accessories. "We consider ourselves an upper-scale furniture store because we strive to offer the higher quality, brand-name furniture," explained Aiken.

Sellers are equally pleased with the ease and convenience with which they can rid themselves of furniture that no longer fits into their homes. Because the furniture store has a base of ready customers, sellers can avoid bad checks, "lookie-loo" shoppers, transportation problems and the expense of storing a large item that has already been replaced. Instead, Aiken’s team will pick up the furniture, help the seller come up with a reasonable price, and send a check when the item sells. "It is a wonderful alternative to disposing of your furniture," Aikens said. "I think people like to have a way to sell their furniture without having strangers in their homes."

The immediate success of the 16,000-square-foot Las Vegas store on Rainbow and Sahara, opened in late 1995, encouraged Aikens to open an 18,000-square-foot store in Green Valley less than a year later. Since then, her shops have become the top-selling stores in the chain. The business is so successful, in fact, that Aikens was recently forced to move the original store into a 20,000-square-foot building on Cheyenne and Rainbow. She is also looking for a larger space for the Green Valley location.

Despite the rapid turnover in inventory — most items sell within one month — there is no problem filling the store. During "spring cleaning," the stores may receive up to three truckloads of furniture per day. During slower times, Aikens supplements used furniture with pieces from model homes and occasionally from vendors who want to liquidate items. "People can get a great-quality piece of furniture for a very low price, and I think that is why people shop here. You can find one-of-a-kind pieces that you won’t find in an everyday furniture store. That’s what makes us a fun place to shop," said Aikens. "You never know what we are going to get in," she continued. "For example, we recently sold a large batch of antiques from Indonesia."

The eclectic and sometimes surprising mix of furnishings attracts those looking for a bargain, but also those looking for something different, such as interior designers and local celebrities like David Cassidy, Clint Holmes and Rodney Dangerfield, who have all been seen in the shops. "I think that the public has spoken for themselves because we have been growing like crazy," Aikens concludes with pride. "We have a big following, because the concept is unique."