Goodnight Room gets personal

cover story

by Gerri Hunt -- Kids Today, 10/1/2009 12:00:00 AM

Ann Adrian runs two locations in the Portland, Ore., area along with her husband.

For Ann Adrian, category-driven stores are just not inspiring.

“This is why the big box experience is so overwhelming for most customers,” she said. “You walk in and wonder how you can be an expert in all these categories. My husband and I kept trying and walking out empty handed and afraid that we would be inadequate parents.”

Drawing on a long career with Nordstrom, Adrian has found a retail formula that works: personalized service. Ten years ago, she and her husband, Jeff Scott opened a baby and juvenile furnishings store, Goodnight Room, in Northeast Portland, Ore.

“The goal was to be a part of peoples’ lives during these incredible years of raising their families,” she said.

Five years later, they opened a second location across town, and made it a “lifestyle center,” including a play area out front, spots where a parent can sit and read to a child, and a train chugging along overhead. “Shopping is an experience, and the days of strip malls or big malls are gone.”

Goodnight Room makes it easy for adults to see the world through a child’s eyes.

And part of the experience that Goodnight Room offers is to really work with customers.

“We try to interview people on what their needs are,” said Adrian. “It’s important that we understand where they’re coming from and what they want.”

For example, if a customer comes in looking for a bunk bed, Adrian tells them about twin-over-twin and twin-over-full versions, and that trundles and storage can be added now or later. She asks if it’s going in a home they’ll be in for a long time, or if they anticipate a move; if they’re furnishing a vacation home, or if it may end up in a different room. She asks about the set-up of the room and other pieces already there. She talks about future needs, like adding an accent table later on to hold a lamp or drink while nursing, or books.

“We work with families to think about their needs now and what they might be years from now. The fact that a lifestyle crib converts to a full bed may not be the best decision for their long-term needs.”

Adrian said convertible cribs “are a new concept, and are being shoved down our throats. But so many families don’t need one. A teen doesn’t want to be teased later on that he’s still in his crib.”

She said the industry “has a way of making families feel some things are the only way to go … a lifestyle crib, an $800 stroller, and so on. We’re not afraid to be honest with people. It builds loyalty and has been key for us in building long-term relationships with our most valued customer base.”

Adrian pointed out that customers have a larger budget when they’re planning for the birth of their first child. Both parents often work, and they get help from grandparents, gifts, showers, etc.

Staff members make sure they — and their customers — fully understand the customers’ short- and long-term needs, and are informed about their options, which includes customization.

“And when they come to us as their families are expanding, most often they have a clearer picture of their needs, are on a tighter budget and looking to work with previous purchases – we love this,” she said. “Most of our success comes from custom design work. Many industry people don’t see this as the opportunity it really is.”

Goodnight Room works with companies whose products are made in America, provide work in American communities, and are great business partners.

“The industry needs to understand that it is our privilege to work with the decision-makers every day, the customer,” Adrian said. “They give us feedback that is invaluable. Add a color, raise a height, make deeper drawers, etc. The best sales representatives share this and fight for us. Those who don’t, or feel their feedback is not being listened to, only have moderate success.”

And manufacturers need to take a good, hard look at their retail customers the impact of the Internet, she said.

“Vendors need to understand, we brick-and-mortar businesses work very hard to make their product look good. We pay rent, dress the beds, decorate, etc. More vendors need to work with us to (give us incentive) to get more on the floors. We will all sell more.

“Every day, customers come in and say, 'do you carry (such-and-such) … I just want to see it.’ More and more we have to walk away from lines for this very reason,” she said. “We cannot afford to be the Internet showroom for vendors.”

But it’s a Catch-22 because soon there won’t be any more brick-and-mortar retailers carrying those products, she said. “At the end of the day, brick-and-mortars lose when all it comes down to is price.”

The retailer’s best-selling youth products are bunk beds, trundle beds and bookcases – the latter being difficult to get because vendors usually push five-drawer dressers and armoires, Adrian said. And customization is key. DL Mayra is an exclusive line of case goods, with 20 finishes. And Stanley’s MyHaven is another big line for her. She also collaborates on artwork with Roxanne Murphy Smith – a partnership that Adrian considers one of her best business ideas.

One of her worst business moves was to “trade down, testing imported lower-end goods and dealing with all their headaches,” she said. “It was a mistake not sticking with who we are and what we believe in.”

But sticking with made-in-the-USA products has been exciting, she said, since there’s been so much fear in consumers because of recalls. She said consumers are looking more for eco-friendly products, are willing to pay more — but they still want color.

Adrian’s biggest daily challenge is bringing in customers. “The media tells people to stay away, stay home, save your money. They tend to wait and not realize how long things can take, especially now with less production, high costs of transportation, etc.”

But she continues to remain as optimistic as possible every day. “I’m a huge believer in the strength of the human spirit. In our mix, we have tried to help customers with their 'need’-based purchases.”

Vignettes usually include artwork and personalized name plaques.

For the future, Adrian plans to “get back to where we were headed with product development, evolve with technology without losing the personal connection with our customers. Grow and simplify.”

But what is the 'new normal,’ she wants to know.

“I see myself as a Pollyanna,” said Adrian. “Kind of like 'It’s A Wonderful Life,’ where George Bailey says everything is good.” And when things started happening to George, “the community came together in the end. That’s the new normal. It’s very positive and very good, and we’re working together to get there.”

And what motivates her in the meantime? “What keeps me going and loving this crazy business is the belief that at the end of the day what makes people happiest is their family, most especially their children. That will never go away; in fact, I think we will all see that it will come back stronger and better than ever.”