Background On Gabberts Furniture and Design Studio/Dallas

Furniture World Magazine

Gabberts Furniture and Design Studio has been a home furnishings leader in Dallas since 1973 when it opened its 100,000 square foot showroom at 13342 Midway Road. The store was recently named "Best Tried and True Interiors Store" in D Home and Garden magazine, and Gabberts' Forth Worth store was named "Best Furniture Store" in Fort Worth, Texas magazine. Gabberts began developing concepts for a retail showroom that would transform the way consumers shop for home furnishings in mid 1999. Research found that customers were looking for stores that were inspirational, inviting and simple to navigate. They wanted to be able to see all the choices that reflected their personal style in one area of the store rather than traversing the entire store to find like items. In May 2001, Gabberts completed a $4 million, head-to-toe renovation of its Dallas location and introduced the nation's first "lifestyle" home furnishings store. Themed "Living Dallas Style," the store's main level features 13 distinctive lifestyle collections made up of similar-style furnishings and accessories. Each area is designed to uniquely showcase the breadth of attitudes and tastes seen in today's Dallas. The second level houses seven specialty shops in a mail-like format, including City Lights, Floor Decor, Dreamscapes, Gabberts Kids and The Retreat. Also on this level are the store's trademark Garden Court refreshment area and children's play center - complete with a cow table and an oil derrick outfitted with computers, as well as the award-winning Design Studio of Gabberts, The Inspiration Center for custom design, and the Community Learning Center, where Gabberts hosts more than 300 education classes each year. The Lifestyles When guests enter Gabberts, they are greeted by a multi-media "immersion" show designed to get them in an inspirational frame of mind. Questions like "What inspires you?" and "How do you want to live?" flash on the walls as they pass through the circular entryway. As guests move further into the store, they may choose between four different "stores" within the store - The Grand Salon, The Skyline, The Crossroads and The Great Escape. Each area has its own entry portal and signage explaining its theme and which lifestyles shoppers will find there. Graphics also provide guidance on color palettes, density, shapes and forms that define each lifestyle. The Grand Salon This area is for consumers who favor traditional home furnishings. It houses six distinctive lifestyles, including: Classic Traditional - Classic 18th and 19th century style. Refined and timeless. Continental - An over-scaled, eclectic mix of European traditional styling. Grand Elegance - Represents the finest statement in sophisticated living. Vintage - Traditional design blended with a feeling of aged and acquired treasures. Updated Traditional - Blends traditional furnishings with a contemporary aesthetic. Ralph Lauren - The only brand-name designer with a dedicated lifestyle area. This area of the store is for consumers with contemporary leanings. It currently houses the Penthouse lifestyle, which is characterized as dramatic, uptown, sophisticated and elegant. Guests can look forward to the future addition of a sleek, modem International lifestyle and a funky, casual, urban Metro Mix lifestyle. The Crossroads This area is for consumers who are most at home in a casual setting but enjoy elegant design touches. The Crossroads lifestyles include: California - A casual, free-spirited elegance with a contemporary flair. Casual Elegance - Comfortable, relaxed elegance for those with traditional tastes. The Great Escape This area epitomizes casual living. This is the place in every home where family and friends retreat to relax. Lifestyles include: Country Living - An expressive, warm cottage feeling with a feminine touch. Texas Ranch -The spirit of a rustic getaway with a masculine character. Arts & Crafts - The accent falls on design integrity. Casual, honest and simple. Euro Country - The tradition of old-world charm meets provincial simplicity. Store Associates Gabberts employs more than 120 people in its Dallas retail showroom. This includes 65 sales associates, 25 professional interior designers and 30 operations team members. Store Hours Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Sunday, 12 - 5 p.m. About Gabberts Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Gabberts Furniture and Design Studio was named the "Best Home Furnishings Retailer in America" by House Beautiful magazine. The company's 150,000 square foot, two-level store at the Galleria shopping center in Edina, Minn., offers the Midwest's largest selection of name-brand home furnishings. In addition to its Dallas store, Gabberts operates a 70,000 square foot retail showroom in Forth Worth and an outlet store in Dallas.