Interview with Lisa Hawkins
This Mississippi based retailer cares for and about its workers customers, employees and community. Running the
show is
Lisa Hawkins who says what she means and has a talent for getting her customers to tell her what they think.
Lisa Hawkins, president of Room to Room Furniture in Tupelo, Mississippi, never thought she would end up in the
furniture business.
“Before retail, when dinosaurs roamed the earth,” she told Furniture World, “I earned a master’s degree in
nursing,
became a nurse practitioner and taught nursing school.” Her first successful venture into retail with her
husband Jim
was a children’s and ladies’ clothing store called The Velveteen Rabbit, which they closed in 1992 to be able to
spend
more time with their children Jay and Mary Frances.
“After that, I got involved in every non-profit in the community and worked for free. In 2002, I was approached
to do a
GOB for Hancock Furniture here in Tupelo. My husband Jim, who is a talented finance guy, and I realized it would
be a
good business to own. We sold everything to the walls and reopened it fresh on April 17, 2003. Just like that,
we were
in the furniture business.”
Not a Cookie-Cutter Type Store
“We don’t want Room to Room to be cookie-cutter like many other retail operations,” she explained. “We have
three
35,000-square-foot buildings joined together. Most value-priced items are in the first building because we would
hate
shoppers to get sticker shock as they walk in the front door. There, we feature lines such as Ashley, Best Home
Furnishings and Craftmaster, to name a few. Motion is located in two different areas, and dining is a separate
department. We carry North Carolina and Mississippi lines and as many local vendors as we can fit into our
business
model. We did a good bit with United/Lane when they were in business. What happened to their employees broke my
heart.
Behold and Ashley replaced some of that product. We also sell nicer things that will be heirlooms one day. We
carry
amazing value-priced products made about 20 miles from our store. Most of our operations areas are located in
our third
building.
“Room to Room sells every home furnishng item our customers could want except for floor coverings. Shoppers find
lots of
unique products here, and the store is highly accessorized because we’re a ‘girl store.’”
Retail Culture
When speaking with Hawkins, it quickly became apparent that Room to Room’s primary mission is caring for people:
customers, employees and the community.
“We are a family,” she observed, “so our goal is to give people opportunities to grow and heal. We’ve been
blessed to
find all kinds of wonderful folks, some of whom needed a second chance in life and who’ve recovered from
addictions,
hurts and brokenness. In my view, just about everyone is broken in some way.”
Hawkins believes that Room to Room is more than a furniture store. “One of the best things about our store is
the
community work we do. We’re intensely involved, always looking for ways to serve and help. That creates
camaraderie
among our staff as well.”
Store Experience
“When shoppers enter the store, we don’t ask what they came in to find. Instead, salespeople ask if they’ve been
in
before and if there is a staff member they prefer to work with. First-time shoppers get a breakdown of what’s
going on
in the store and its layout. The approach is very homey.
“We try to make an immediate connection with shoppers, not just sell them something. We listen and work to meet
their
needs. Many people who visit our store have medical issues as well as home furnishings needs, and I’m pretty
good at
helping them with those issues.”
Every New Day
“Every morning starts with a team meeting. We share what’s happening with our families and our customers and try
to show
gratitude for what we have. The group might speak about great experiences with customers and pray over different
needs.
That’s our culture.” Hawkins added that Room to Room’s store manager, Dan Patterson, presents educational
information
and stories that add value to these meetings.
Buying Group Benefits
“We belong to Furniture First. My son Jay, who works on the finance side and runs our mattress department,
belongs to
Furniture First’s NextGen Gamma group. Our general manager Dan Patterson is in Lorri Kelley’s performance group,
and
I’ve been in the Beta Group for seven years. We compare financial results, best practices and are exposed to
ideas
developed by generational retailers. I’ve also served on the Furniture First board, a great honor and
opportunity.”
“Buy or Bid was a spur-of-the-moment idea. It created a frenzy.... That resulted in a huge Saturday for
Room
to Room.”
Sleep Stories
Room to Room is well known for its mattress department, which features Aireloom, Beautyrest Black, Harmony, and
Mattress
First by Serta. Hawkins said she likes to focus on the bedding department because she’s seen “amazing things
happen in
people’s lives when they find a proper sleeping surface. I want to ensure shoppers know that investing in a
great
mattress will make a huge difference in the quality of their work and home lives.
“We have the Support Report Mattress Analyzer system first used in neonatal ICUs to help preemies avoid bed
sores. It
brings me so much joy when I run into people in the community who thank me for helping them find the best
mattress for
their needs.”
“We can create joy and have fun with others by being ourselves. If you have a messed-up hair day, own it and
share
it.
Highlight your store and what about it is important to you.”
Merchandising Stories
Hawkins shared that she has a great team that does merchandising and display. “We like to support Mississippi
businesses, manufacturers such as J Furniture, Homestretch, and Crestview. We also recently opened a gift shop
inside
the store featuring Peter’s Pottery made in the Mississippi Delta, which has been a great addition. Shoppers who
have
never seen our store come in to see the pottery. It breaks the ice. They see our selection and find out that
we’re
friendly. So when they think about furniture, they remember us.”
Design Services
“We try to make sure every one of our customers gets the design services they need. That can include creating
room
plans, selecting fabrics, and providing color and paint ideas.
“Some people fear being pressured into buying too much, but often, we help shoppers see the value of budgeting
their
purchases in a series of steps. Once they understand that, it all falls into place. Then we help them select
what’s most
important to them, now and in the future.”
Selling Memories
Hawkins believes that home furnishings purchases are intertwined with memories. “At Room to Room,” she explained,
“we’re
selling memories, not sofas. And that’s especially true during the holidays. People remember lounging on a sofa
or a
recliner as a child, watching Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and sitting around the Thanksgiving table. What we
do at
Room to Room connects with those experiences.”
Social Media Genius
Room To Room uses all the usual retail advertising vehicles, broadcast, OTT and other platforms to build its
brand and
increase traffic.
However, where they stand out is on social media, especially Facebook, where they’ve built a relationship with
their
45,000 Facebook followers. Surprisingly, they don’t boost a lot of their posts.
“I feel so sorry for my poor marketing person, Heather,” noted Hawkins. “I’m constantly coming up with ideas for
social
media posts and events.
“We use social media to promote many giveaways. Recently, we gave away a couple of Taylor Swift tickets. Oh my
gosh,
that was nuts. It’s like winning a game when we post something on social media that people really want, follow,
share
and tag their friends.
“I boost posts occasionally,” Hawkings said, “but our engagement is more organic because the nature of what we
share is
all about having fun, telling stories and creating memories.
“We do at least two Facebook posts daily and more at certain times of the year, send weekly newsletters and post
to
Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and TikTok.”
Welcome to Market
Hawkins shared an example of the power of social media and how it benefits her decision-making. “Our followers
like to
be involved with what we buy,” she observed. “We let them know when items come in to the store so they can come
in to
see them. And they do! At a recent High Point Market,” she recalled, “our buying team came across giant chaises
covered
in a ribbed, fuzzy corduroy fabric made to seat perhaps two and a half people. I thought, ‘These things will
never sell,
and they will never fit in anybody’s house!’ We posted a picture of our buyers sitting in one of those chairs,
asking
for opinions. It went viral. Customers pre-ordered and paid before we even received them. Sometimes you never
know what
the customers want until you ask them.”
Room to Room’s Market posts are straightforward. Here are some examples: “Tell us what you think!!— Headed to
High Point
Market. Anything you want us to find for you?—Videos of the team on the bus to market—walking around town—Check
out
Amber’s adventure in the chair gallery—fresh flowers of High Point market always amaze me! Fresh flowers remind
me of my
grandmother Wood—NEED YOUR INPUT!!!! Y’all are so helpful!!!!—You’ve got to see this new leather from
Craftmaster!—Designer ideas from High Point Market-accessorizing consoles.”
Social Media Authenticity
Anyone who knows social media will advise that authenticity is the most important attribute to cultivate. “I’m a
country
girl from Mississippi, and everybody knows it,” said Hawkins. “For a long time, I thought that wasn’t good
enough. Well,
that was a lie from the devil! We can create joy and have fun with others by being ourselves. If you have a
messed-up
hair day, own it and share it. Highlight your store and what about it is important to you. We engage the
community to
become involved, and we present community needs on social media to encourage others to help make a difference in
people’s lives. You will reap what you sow, so sow something good!”
More Ideas & Events
VIP Signup: “People can sign up to join our R2R VIP Club. Data is dollars is what I always say.
VIP Club members receive
texts and emails to find out first when we have giveaways or events such as our Black Friday Sale. Weekly emails
may
include a recipe, information about an event, and new arrival information about products with limited
availability.
“We tell shoppers that if they want to know what’s going on at Room to Room or win something, they need to be
VIPs.
Sign-up QR code signs are all over the store. We promote VIP membership on television and in the local
newspaper, which
is still somewhat significant for us. The message is everywhere. We’ve even done some billboards.”
Holidays Are Important: “Holidays are important to Room to Room. Our calendar of events starts
on a Thursday evening
early in November, with an open house and lots of food. It feels like a family reunion. “Santa comes to town on
Black
Friday to help with a fundraiser for regional rehab,” said Hawkins. “We ask for a minimum $20 donation. We also
take
reservations for $50 and get booked.
“Hundreds of people come year after year during the holidays. These events bring in a younger demographic who
might
think they can’t afford to purchase here. Parents bring their children for photo opportunities and to enjoy hot
chocolate, spiced cider, donut holes, and much more. It’s an opportunity for us to break the ice with people who
might
never have come in and build relationships.”
The Children’s Mansion Charity: “There’s an orphanage here in Tupelo called Tupelo Children’s
Mansion. The children’s
pictures are displayed in the store so that shoppers can look at the photos and ‘adopt a child’ for the
holidays,
donating pajamas and house shoes the kids can wear on Christmas Eve.
“Toys are brought in, and we host a wrapping party so the community can come and wrap gifts for the children. On
Christmas Eve, over a hundred children unwrap their pajamas, and Santa gives each child five gifts.”
Home for the Holidays Give-Away: “This is the first year we accepted applications from people
asking us to fly loved
ones home for the holidays, a graduation, a death in the family, or just to be together as a family.”
Lisa’s Cooking Videos: Hawkins loves to cook and share recipes. Room to Room’s social media
allows her to do both. “My
grandmother was a wonderful cook and an amazing woman. She had few resources but used everything she had to make
things
special for us. I love sharing her recipes and cooking for store events. Home, family and cooking are all tied
up with
memories. Oh my gosh, I’m cuckoo about cooking.”
Buy or Bid Event Creates Frenzy: “Buy or Bid was a spur-of-the-moment idea we came up with to
make space for new
inventory. Closeout items on the floor were tagged for immediate purchase, but shoppers could instead, take a
chance and
slip a bid in a box. For items that hadn’t already sold, whoever offered the highest bid, above a minimum
amount, won.
“It created a frenzy. People saw other non-clearance items they wanted. That resulted in a huge Saturday for
Room to
Room. People came back later in the day to shake the box. If it seemed like there were a lot of bids, some
slipped in
another higher bid.”
Open House Events: “We have spring, holiday and other open house events that unveil store
decorations or introduce new
fragrances in our candle department. Lots of food is served. People have a nice time.”
Lisa’s From the Heart Messages: “Messages from the heart are simple reminders: short positive
messages, for example,
wishing people a wonderful Christmas together and reminding them that the season is all about being with family
to
create memories, slow down, stay at home and enjoy their time together.”
Furniture First’s Kissing Cancer Goodbye Events: “When I served on Furniture First’s board, we
talked about developing a
charitable program that each Furniture First store could adapt to use in their local communities. One of our
performance
group members, Jessica (Talsma) Smith from Talsma Furniture, told us about their event, Kissing Cancer Goodbye,
and they
created a marketing plan around that idea. It was later adopted by the Furniture First board as our flagship
charity
event.
“Room to Room’s event featured a hot pink lip-shaped sofa that people sat on to have their photos taken and post
on
social media. For a donation of $5, guests could remember a loved one on a ‘wall of heroes’ and tag Room to Room
using
the hashtag ‘KissingCancerGoodbye’ for a chance to win a weekend getaway. We collected funds to benefit our
local
healthcare foundation and a cancer center. Our customers donated food, blankets and hats to help stock the
cancer center
pantry, to help cancer patients who’ve been economically impacted. A church group crocheted caps. Sudoku and
crossword
puzzles were collected as were all sorts of other things people can do while having chemo. Other Furniture First
member
stores have had or are planning their unique Kissing Cancer Goodbye-themed events.”
Room to Room’s Future: When Furniture World asked Hawkins if she planned to expand her operation, she replied,
“Probably, but who knows what we’ll come up with. One thing is a sure bet. My husband Jim is already retired,
but I will
probably work, I jokingly say, until my funeral, which will be held here at the store. During visitation, people
will be
able to shop after hours, so nobody needs to miss work!”
Kindness Counts
“Concluding this interview, Hawkins observed, “Little things matter a lot. For example, it was colder than usual
in
Tupelo last year. I noticed one of my delivery guys was wearing a coat with a warming battery, so we bought new
coats
for everyone in the warehouse. Also, retailers need to remember that when they treat their people as
individuals,
loyalty is a welcome byproduct. Sometimes, folks will disappoint, but it’s important to remember we are not
responsible
for the outcomes. We’re only responsible for what we do. So try to go out in the world and do good. Life is too
short to
be a mulligrub! Those are my parting words to Furniture World’s readers.”
