The Furniture Mall has a combined 88 years in the furniture business, but its Texas location has just passed the 1-year mark on March 6th. The first year of a business is its most crucial, as a large percentage of businesses fail within the first year of being open. The Furniture Mall of Texas has persevered, fighting through the COVID outbreak, the Texas freeze of 2021, and everything else that opening a business has thrown its way.
Now, a year later, the Furniture Mall of Texas is finally finding its footing. The store has a great location in Austin, Texas, and its customer base is growing. The journey has not been a smooth one, however, and it is still not over. Let's take a look into the trials and tribulations that it took to open a business amidst such hardships.
Every property that co-owner of the Furniture Mall of Texas, Brian Morgan, found, has always been on accident. Morgan also co-owns local Austin furniture brand, Couch Potatoes, with his brother Travis Morgan, and friend, Dan Anthony. They set out to look for a bigger space to put another Couch Potatoes in, as their business was growing fast.
Morgan found a vacant property in an old Toys R Us store, that was just the right size. He contacted the owner of the property that was willing to hear their business pitch for only a brief 30 minutes. As the day approached, Morgan and Anthony scrambled to organize their story of Couch Potatoes and the need for a bigger space.
Upon walking up, the owner told Morgan, "Well, when I walked up and saw the sign I immediately thought 'no', but you guys have heart." The owner of the property became so invested in their story, the 30-minute meeting turned into a 4-hour tour of the factories where Couch Potatoes produces their own furniture.
The exterior of one of Couch Potatoes' previous stores. The Potatoes have now been moved to the COTA racetrack.
The co-owners of Couch Potatoes taught themselves how to build their own furniture, and they raised their own money. No investors. The owner didn't typically do verbal agreements, but he decided to lease the building to the intrepid business owners.
Now, with a plan in place, the Morgan brothers and Anthony were able to convince the final party--the Furniture Mall of Kansas. Morgan had his eyes set on partnering with Jeff and Jaime Winters for a while for their innovative furniture shopping experience. They were focused on having a big selection in their store, without the big store feel. The customer experience was their priority, and they wanted to make furniture shopping fun.
The two owners of their respective furniture stores met in person, and they signed their contract. Now, the owner of the previously vacant Toys R Us heard about this partnership and supported it wholeheartedly. He decided to give another vacant property, just a few buildings down, to the Couch Potatoes owners instead with the idea of putting an even bigger furniture store inside. Thus, the Furniture Mall of Texas was born.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony on opening day.
Access to the new building was given in July of 2020. There was a lot of work to be done, and none of it was easy. The building was broken into 5 times, and at one point, every single tool was stolen. There was always something getting in the way of a smooth opening.
"I can't even tell you how many times I visited the permit office. Near 30 different visits," said Morgan about the seemingly never-ending process to get the necessary permits for the building.
The Furniture Mall's designer, Martin Roberts, was a very well-known designer in retail spaces. The layout of the Furniture Mall of Texas was his very last project before he passed away. His plan for the Furniture Mall was only at about 80% completion, Morgan had to become the hands and feet of the operation to make sure it was finished.
Martin Roberts a leading influence in the retail design industry.
"The thing I've learned about doing furniture retail during COVID in the fastest growing city in the nation is that there is no playbook. The only playbook is to pivot. Be flexible and be teachable," said Morgan.
In January of 2021, a job fair was held to hire people for the store. Things started to look up. Everyone participated in helping set up the store. There were people putting up walls, painting, assembling the furniture, and clearing out the debris. Even the owners of the Furniture Mall of Kansas would stop by to help out with the work, and give some direction. A true community effort. However, the opening date was continuously pushed back due to complications with construction, obtaining permits, and then the dreaded freeze.
A work-family Thanksgiving picture.
The Texas freeze took place in February of 2021, and it was no simple storm for the residents of Texas. Many people lost power and water in their homes, so of course, they weren't expected to come in and help out in the store.
At last, March 6th, 2021 rolled around, and the doors of the Furniture Mall of Texas were opened to the public. All the struggle paid off, and the optimistic energy was infectious. Kids and adults rode around on our trikes, free refreshments were offered, and all the hard work poured into the store was finally appreciated.
As the months carried on, the Furniture Mall of Texas has worked on finding its voice in the crowded city of Austin and communicating to its residents its mission to deliver an unforgettable shopping furniture experience. There is still much to work on, but every day is a new opportunity to learn and grow.
Mike on a trike.
"I'm very very grateful for the people at the Furniture Mall of Kansas. Everything they've worked on in Kansas, they had to absorb us. I would say it's truly a family. You've got to have that communication. What's the big goal here? Let's work together," said Morgan.
The journey of the Furniture Mall has just begun, but celebrating milestones helps to look back at where you've come, and where you will go. The opening of the Furniture Mall of Texas is inspirational in its struggle. There were many times when it would have just been easier to give up but through the dedication of everyone involved, it remains a shining example of what can be accomplished with a community effort.
Thank you to everyone who has been a part of The Furniture Mall, stay tuned for more amazing things to come!