You’ve said Pirch changes the paradigm of buying appliances and plumbing products and services. Want to explain?
If kitchen and bathroom products are considered investments that can really change the quality of life in a home, how can they be sold like commodities? Why not present them in well-appointed, interactive environments with world-class service?
What inspired the thought?
It was born out of frustration. My business partner, Jim Stuart, and I compared notes about how horrific our purchasing experiences had been. We were convinced there was a better way.
And then came Pirch.
The original name was Fixtures Living, but as we evolved we learned that our name caused people to think we were in the lighting business.
So Fixtures Living became Pirch… how?
We wanted a name that either spoke directly about what we did or caused people to ask, “What does Pirch mean?” We arrived at “Perch” – as in a place to roost, to settle down, to feather your nest – but changed the “e” to an “i” to make the name more proprietary.
You’re about to build a store in SoHo. How important is location for this concept?
We feel our concept deserves premium locations. Though when we opened our first store in San Diego, in 2010, the only way you’d have known we were there is if you’d damaged your car and had to visit one of the auto body shops in the neighborhood.
That changed quickly, didn’t it?
Yes, in 2011 we opened our first real concept store in Costa Mesa, Calif., about two miles from South Coast Plaza. It was the first time we experienced unique traffic of 1500 to 2000 visitors per week and it changed the course of the business.
So now you’re in places like Rancho Mirage, the Oakbrook Center in Chicago, NorthPark Center in Dallas, Lenox Marketplace in Atlanta. How will you maintain the consistency of the concept as you grow?
By hiring the right people and immersing them in our culture. We bring 40 to 60 people onboard for every new store and we fly them to San Diego for a week of sharing “why we exist” versus just “what we do.” It creates that sense of consistency, no matter what store you enter. There is no better use of my time.
Yes, most ceos spend their time talking to investors, don’t they?
Equally important for sure, but if we don’t get the culture correct, we won’t have investors.
Called to the Carpet
How did you end up in the housing supply business?
I was going to be a lawyer. One summer, I had a chance to work in a clerical position for a law firm. My father suggested I talk to a business associate of his, who was the president of a carpet mill, just to practice my interview skills. We talked, I was offered a job on the spot and I haven’t looked back.