Interview with Chris Cooley and Cailey Patton
Mother-daughter duo Chris Cooley and Cailey Patton show how they do retail right by aligning everything they do
with a
store culture emphasizing fun, communication, community, integrity and creativity.
Furniture World spoke with mother-daughter duo Chris Cooley, owner of Michael Alan Furniture & Design, and Cailey
Patton, Director of Merchandise.
What stands out about Chris and Cailey is their commitment to serving their customers, their devotion to
community
service, and how much fun they seem to have operating their two Lake Havasu City, Arizona, locations.
The Heart of Michael Alan Furniture & Design
“Our philosophy,” Chris explained, “is that to truly be successful, our hearts must be in our business, and our
business
must be in our hearts. That allows us to truly care about every individual who comes into our stores. They’re
coming in
for a purpose. We aim to discover their needs and make shopping at Michael Alan Furniture and Design the most
fun,
positive experience possible.”
She explained that their corporate culture intentionally incorporates that way of doing business. “Our 35-member
team is
as passionate about Michael Alan’s core values as we are.
“The great thing about these values,” added Cailey, “is that defining them wasn’t just a management exercise.
Staff
members were given an opportunity to discuss the values they felt reflected our store culture. It was a
community effort
among our tight-knit group.”
“Some of the best ideas,” said Chris, “came from staff members. Ultimately, the group decided that integrity,
compassion, community, creativity, communication and fun would describe the heart and soul of Michael Alan’s
culture.”
When asked why she mentioned fun last, Chris replied, ”They are all equally important, but if you’re not having
fun, why
do it?
“We have weekly managers’ meetings and mandatory monthly staff meetings. Communication is important here: Staff
members
are brought into conversations to ensure they feel supported and have the tools they need to do their jobs. That
includes everyone—from the director of first impressions who greets customers when they enter the store to the
directors
of last impressions—our delivery team. They hear it, see it, and experience it close up. That’s why some of our
best
ideas come from the people Cailey and I work with.
“Here at Michael Alan, we constantly focus on education and training. Our sales managers attend one performance
group,
and our operations managers belong to another. Along with the Eclipse performance group that Cailey and I are a
part of.
We all learn from our peers in the industry, share ideas and bring them back. Industry consultant David McMahon
visits
twice a year for budgeting and planning meetings.”
“We’ve been a Furniture First member for 16 years, taking advantage of the organization’s resources. I serve on
its
Board and was its first and only, so far, female chairperson.”
History
“My amazing parents, Cailey’s grandparents, Abner and Shirley Schultz,” Chris continued, “were amazing
entrepreneurs who
moved to the U.S. in 1989 from Canada. They purchased a manufacturing facility for mattresses and custom
upholstery. In
1990, my sister Carrie and I joined them in the business and, soon after, we transitioned to full-on retail.
“We joined Profit Consulting’s performance groups pretty early on. The power of having a group of experienced
retailers
come together to share their knowledge about best practices was instrumental to our growth. At the time,
Profit’s David
and Wayne McMahon would visit our store. Even when we were struggling, we found the money to pay them. They gave
us our
‘college degree’ in the furniture business.”
“Some of the best ideas,” said Chris, “came from staff members. Ultimately, the group decided that
integrity,
compassion, community, creativity and fun would describe the heart and soul of Michael Alan’s culture.”
Cailey recalled that she never planned to be part of the family business. “I grew up in an entrepreneurial
family and
hoped to find my own way. Before joining Michael Alan, I owned a day spa. Then, I took a second look to see if
transitioning into furniture retailing was something I could be passionate about. The timing with my kids and
family
aligned perfectly, and I found my passion for this business.”
Her retailing journey started in the warehouse and then transitioned through every department. “Honestly, I’m so
glad I
did it that way,” she said. “I love that I had the opportunity to learn this business from the inside out.
“A beautiful thing about this industry is that there are so many resources available for people coming up in the
business to grow, adapt and learn. I’ve deeply enjoyed being part of Furniture First, especially its NextGen
group, and
our continuing consulting relationship with David McMahon and his company PerformNow.”
Merchandising
“I’ve always been creative and artistic,” Cailey noted, “so I think there is a natural fit with my current
position in
buying and merchandising. Our product selections are primarily organized by lifestyle.”
Arizona Style: “Many people think that Arizona’s style and vibe is primarily Western, but here
in Lake Havasu,” she
noted, “the trending style is clean and contemporary. In addition, we have success selling products with
Restoration
Hardware kinds of looks. Mixed in are more funky areas in our store featuring one-of-a-kind pieces sourced from
India,
Indonesia, and other countries that allow us to tell interesting stories and contribute to a showroom style
unique to
our trading area. It’s all blended to show our customers the creative opportunities available to them to create
what we
call desert contemporary looks.”
A Numbers Approach: “I tend to take an analytical approach to merchandising, which is
significantly enhanced using
Tools2Win. This platform allows me to efficiently track my top product categories, best-selling SKUs, inventory
aging,
and a wealth of other key metrics, enabling more informed decision-making.”
Visual Merchandising: “Our visual merchandising includes lots of accessories and attention to
creatively styling our
showroom. We go over and beyond to make each family and each set look very different and keep in mind the
importance of
using showroom displays to paint a picture for our clients. My cousin Roslyn Molitor, our Director of Visual
Impressions
and an interior designer, handles the visual merchandising at Michael Alan.”
Community
“With about 60,000 people, Lake Havasu City is situated along the Colorado River,” Cailey explained. “It’s a
beautiful,
isolated, vibrant community with the nearest city about an hour away. Customers have recently moved to Lake
Havasu from
surrounding states, such as California, alongside our steady customer base of lifelong residents.
“It’s a mixture of people who have second homes, early retirees, and residents who have lived here their entire
lives.
We attract winter visitors who love the great weather and summer visitors who enjoy the lake.
“Recently, we’ve seen an increase in high-end housing developments in our town, so we’ve adapted our product
offerings
to include a more upscale contemporary blend to accommodate this growing market.”
“Many women appreciate that their husbands can walk around the store with a cold beer or sit in a
massage chair
strategically placed near the checkout area.”
Community Service & Events
In addition to great design, the people at Michael Alan Furniture and Design are passionate about giving back to
their
community and industry. “I’ve always felt strongly,” Chris enthused, “that if we are not giving back, we’re not
making a
difference.
“We let our customers know they also give back to their community when they buy from us. Michael Alan hosts
blood drives
every few months, we have dog adoption days at both locations, and the company supports organizations, including
Soroptimist, which empowers women through education, Haven House and United Way.”
Sleepless in Havasu: “This is the 15th year,” added Cailey, “that Michael Alan has supported a
cause that’s dear to us,
to increase breast cancer awareness through our Sleepless in Havasu event.
“Participants show up at our mattress department on a Friday in September, then try to stay awake for 24 hours
to raise
money for mammogram screenings. First, they decorate the beds that they sponsor. There’s a different decorating
theme
each year. This year, the theme is Out of This World. It’s a competition. At 5 p.m., we have a ribbon-cutting
kickoff
ceremony attended by Havasu’s mayor. We also have a silent auction where the community bids on items donated by
residents and local businesses. Our customers, local businesses and vendors chip in to support the cause.
Restaurants
bring food every couple of hours. There’s a fashion show, we go to the movies, we have games, and then there is
a Bloody
Mary bar in the morning for everyone who makes it to the end.
“Our goal is to ensure that every woman can access early-detection mammograms, regardless of their financial
situation.
So far, we’ve donated $535,000 to provide low-cost mammograms. This year, we’ve increased our impact by
partnering with
Cancer Care Resource to introduce on-site mobile mammography at the store provided by MOM (Mobile On-Site
Mammography).
It’s a long-term commitment. A van provides free screenings outside of the store on the first Friday of every
month.”
“Our philosophy is that to truly be successful, our hearts must be in our business, and our business
must be in our
hearts.”
Appreciation Events: In addition to direct fundraising, Cailey said it’s important for them to
show appreciation to
members of the Lake Havasu City community. “We have friends and family events, Chamber of Commerce mixers, and
serve
coffee from a coffee truck to first responders. There are blood drives every three or four months. It’s
never-ending. We
invite teachers from local schools into our store for teacher appreciation events. They have a good time, win
prizes,
and participate in raffles. There is food, drinks and music. It’s not about selling. We provide an experience in
our
store that’s all about them and building relationships.”
Technology
“We’ve invested in a customer experience management (CXM) system to automate lead management and assigned a
staff member
to oversee it. Retail automation is our secret to being efficient and time-effective.
“Text and email messages are automated. For example, personalized messages are automatically sent to customers
before
delivery, letting them know that their beautiful furniture is on its way, and after delivery, asking them to
share their
experiences. This has been a game-changer in ensuring management and staff stay informed, and communications
don’t fall
through the cracks, no matter how busy it gets here.”
“Small details like making sure the store smells great and shoppers hear music as they enter the front
door all
contribute to creating a great first impression.”
“The CXM,” Chris explained, “streamlines communications between design consultants and shoppers in endless ways,
from
sending presentation photos seamlessly, to letting them know, ‘Hey, next weekend, you can take advantage of
24-month
free financing.’ Or ask them, ‘Are you ready for your free in-home design consultation? We want to share
decorating
ideas with you, answer questions, help you measure your room and make your home furnishings project easy.’
“About 40% of our design associates come to us with some interior design education. We work with sales trainer
and coach
Jody Seivert to keep our sales staff up to speed. Michael Alan has a higher percentage of house calls than most
furniture retailers, primarily because we’re so focused on providing this service. House calls increase the
average sale
and closing ratio dramatically. However, we’ve found that some of our people get better results on the sales
floor. Not
everyone is cut out to go into people’s homes. Design services are complimentary, and there’s no obligation to
buy. They
are part of what we do to help people transform homes into special retreats.”
Store Experience
A numbers approach to buying is important, but creativity is required to create a unique store experience. In
keeping
with Michael Alan’s fun approach to retailing, Cailey explained that she loves adding interesting, fun elements.
“We
just added the most beautiful shuffleboard court to the showroom you will ever see. The way shoppers experience
our
store is very important to us. For example, they are greeted with a freshly baked cookie when they enter our
store.
Small details like making sure the store smells great and shoppers hear music as they enter the front door all
contribute to creating a great first impression.
“While shopping, customers can visit a bar vignette area where we offer coffee, three local beers on tap and
wine in a
glass featuring the Michael Alan Furniture & Design logo. Many women appreciate that their husbands can walk
around the
store with a cold beer or sit in a massage chair strategically placed near the checkout area.”
Hiring and Retention
Recruiting at Michael Alan Furniture focuses on finding people with positive attitudes, drive, and a work ethic
that
aligns with the company’s core values. “If they have that,” Chris said, “we can train them on our culture and
business
specifics. Training is ongoing to instill confidence, professionalism and satisfaction.
“Some new hires have worked for other furniture retailers, and others haven’t. We don’t have much sales staff
turnover.
Most of the younger people we’ve hired recently tend to be successful because they bring new energy, ideas, and
an
understanding of technology, including AI.
“And since the Lake Havasu area is growing, we haven’t had trouble recruiting. We always look within our
organization
first to fill management positions. For example, the new manager of our outlet store is a former design
consultant.”
Brands Carried & Outlet
Michael Alan stocks Bernhardt, Palliser, and Alder & Tweed. “We do a lot with IFD and Parker House,” Chris
explained,
“dabble with Hooker, Modus, Four Hands, Universal and a bit of Ashley. Also, Stressless, La-Z-Boy and Jonathan
Louis.”
“Our outlet store features totally different product,” Cailey added. “We show Ashley, Steve Silver, Coaster,
Jofran and
other more promotionally oriented lines there.”
Advertising
“On the advertising side,” Cailey continued, “we’ve been doing more TV commercials for online streaming and
expanded our
focus on social media. We create organic videos, product videos, and Instagram reels utilizing our in-house
marketing
team in conjunction with RNA Marketing.
“Roslyn, whom I mentioned earlier, and I make fun videos for the outlet and main store. We also work closely with
our
sales manager, Dave Williams, to develop content.
“We recently started including bloopers at the end of our Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube videos. Product reels
feature popular music and follow trends that attract attention in the online furniture community. We set
ourselves apart
with the way we showcase our products, fundraising, events and people.
“I’ve observed that younger consumers are drawn to the idea of marketing furniture as fashion, with emotional
purchases
being more common among these generations. We focus on creating a personal connection with our shoppers,
offering a more
approachable and accessible experience than online alternatives. Providing a tailored, in-store experience
ensures our
customers feel valued and engaged.”
Challenges and Opportunities
To close the interview, Furniture World asked Chris to explain her thoughts about the most significant challenges
and
opportunities facing furniture retailers.
“One of furniture retailers’ most significant challenges,” she replied, “is managing long-term employee career
expectations. Today, people are changing careers more frequently than in past generations, so finding ways to
keep staff
involved, happy and connected is essential now more than ever.
“One of the biggest opportunities in our industry is addressing people’s need to make the best possible home
furnishings
buying decisions. Despite all the available online information, people still want help. They need help to feel,
see,
touch, take measurements, and put rooms together so that the final package will be beautiful, exceed their
expectations
and positively affect their lives.
“There’s a lot of upside potential for furniture retailers like Michael Alan Furniture and Design to offer design
services, do more house calls, and set ourselves apart from our competition.
Cailey mentioned an additional opportunity: “Storeowners and managers can benefit from cultivating a mindset of
continuing to learn and grow. There will always be ups and downs, but one of the best ways we’ve found to
achieve
success while enjoying our business is to surround ourselves with a team that shares our values, elevates each
other and
sets goals no matter the circumstances.”