A store-within-a-store, The Shade Store has popped up inside Kravet’s D&D Building location, and has plans to continue the concept in eight showrooms throughout U.S. design hubs over the next year, as EAL has reported. Kravet’s Cary Kravet and The Shade Store’s Adam Gibbs shared insights into the innovative idea, and how it’s changing consumer experience.

What are the unique benefits to having a pop-up appearance in Kravet’s showroom?
Adam Gibbs: First of all, there’s no better partner for us than Kravet for this initiative. Kravet has earned its exceptional reputation with interior designers as the industry leader in fabrics and home furnishings. We are honored that The Shade Store will now have our experts on-site at select Kravet locations to assist designers with all of their window treatment needs. We’ll be able to reach new clients and truly make their lives easier—allowing them to purchase fabric, furniture, rugs, wallcoverings and now window treatments, all in one showroom. All of our 11 product styles and 900-plus materials are available in the shop-in-shops, and designers can also place COM orders—truly making the Kravet showroom a one-stop-shop. 

What are the benefits of having The Shade Store within Kravet’s showroom? Are there any special benefits to the concept of a pop-up or store-within-a-store, generally speaking?
Cary Kravet: At Kravet, we are always looking for ways to make designers’ lives easier—this new venture with The Shade Store offers the convenience of one-stop shopping when it comes to luxury window treatments. Additionally, the shop-in-shop model provides customers with an on-staff expert from both product perspectives, in this case Kravet and The Shade Store. The benefit of having access to the entire line of Kravet product on the same site as The Shade Store will hopefully help eliminate a step in the process for designers.

Gibbs: Just like Kravet, we’re in the business of making designers’ lives easier. Essentially, we want to be every designer’s custom workroom. All of our products are handcrafted in our U.S. workrooms by skilled artisans, and receive incredible attention to detail, all backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee and the fastest turn-around time in the industry. This is something we do every single day in our other 40 showrooms nationwide, but now being within another showroom, we’re taking multiple steps out of a designer’s day. From inspiration and samples to measurements, product ordering and installation, we are there every step of the way. If you work with us, there’s no need to have multiple vendors working on your window treatments. And dropping our showroom into a showroom that provides designers with endless fabric options, furniture and more, we’re completing the circle for these designers.

Do you plan to expand into other showrooms?
Gibbs: The Shade Store will be expanding into six additional Kravet showrooms between now and the end of the year. Having just opened in Kravet at the D&D Building on July 18 in New York City, and in Naples, Florida, on July 25, we will add Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. to that roster. In addition, there are swift plans to add Chicago, Bethpage, New York, and others in early 2017.

How have consumers responded thus far?
Kravet: The response has been extremely positive. Designers know that Kravet is committed to enhancing their shopping experience. 

Gibbs: Everyone is thrilled. We’re meeting new clients who are just learning about us for the first time and we’re also servicing current trade clients and making their lives easier. Designers now have the ability to complete a full project, all at Kravet.