f*,:f

markup in low-to-middle-priced
furniture is probably substantially
higher than in the higher-end fttr-
niture line, because those com-
panies are dealing in mass
merchandising. They carry a lot
of lines for which they have no
competition.
"But, because our merchandise
is higher priced, we can work on
a smaller percentage because
there's more room to work with.
"We are in a business of service,
handling consumers who want
finer quality furniture and an in-
terior designer to help them pick
out the right items for their hous-
es."
Many, if not most, of Sherwood
Studios' clients ask them to come
out to see their homes, to measure
them, and to help them pick out
the right pieces for their lifestyle
needs. But some go even further.
"We have many consumers
who ask us to come out and do the
total home; they give us a key to
the house," said Morganroth.
If need be, Sherwood Studios
will hire and supervise contrac-
tors to remodel an entire house.
Its staff will handle everything
from carpeting, tile, wallpaper
and draperies to moving walls or
construction. That's not unusual
for an interior designer, but it is
for a furniture store.
"We are probably one of the
only interior design studios that
offers full design and construction,
as well as furniture, that are left
in the city," said Morganroth.
"Most of the others have dwindled
away somehow, or gone into the
retail furniture business."
Morganroth frequently buys
one-of-a-kind manufacturer's
showroom samples at the April
and October furniture shows at
High Point, N.C. Because the new
designs won't be in the higher-end
furniture stores for at least six
months, the samples are a big hit
with his customers. The only hitch
is that he can't reorder at those
prices. Morganroth's father, Ben,
also a member of the ASID, start-
ed the business 75 years ago. The
company got its name from its
longtime location in the Sherwood
Forest neighborhood near Seven
Mile and Livernois. The business
moved with its customers to Nine
Mile Road and Coolidge in Oak
Park, then out 12 Mile Road, and
has been on Orchard Lake Road
since 1989. There are 18 design-
ers on staff.
Sherwood Studios has a clear-
ance center in Farmington Hills.
Morganroth is licensed as a de-
signer in south Florida, where he
maintains a showroom in a Ft.
Lauderdale condo.

I

'm the Jewish Art Van," said
Bernard ("Bernie") Moray,
president of the five German's
furniture stores. "The only dif-

ference is that he does about $400
million, and we're striving for $20
million.
"Art Van caters to a different
element than we do. His direction
is toward more blue collar, even
though he is working his way up
with beautiful stores and nice set-
tings. And the strength of his ad-
vertising has just polarized the
whole (furniture) community,"
said Moray, who often offers 40
percent off regular prices just to
be competitive.
"We pride ourselves, and our
business is based on, bringing
good design to the community at
very fair and reasonable prices.
Now, in the case of a higher vol-
ume operator like Art Van, he has
more people on the floor, as many
as 100 salespeople in a showroom.
But some of them have come from
selling automobiles or other prod-
ucts.
"All our people, in all of our
stores, must either have a fine
arts degree or a college degree in
interior design. They don't have
to be ASIDs, but they have to
have enough time in the industry
that they can go in a consumer's
home and guide them intelli-
gently.
"A store like Art Van won't go
into the house, because salespeo-
ple can't afford to spend the time
there," said Moray.
Among the big-name projects
undertaken by Gorman's design-
ers have been singer Aretha
Franklin's home, former Detroit
Tiger manager Sparky Ander-
son's Detroit home, a nursery for
Lisa flitch, and the condos at the
TPC golf course at Fairlane.
The Gorman's Gallery of Fine
Furniture on Telegraph at 12
Mile Road in Southfield is the
biggest and best store in the Mid-
west for fine contemporary fur-
nishings, claimed Moray. The
other Gorman stores in Troy, Novi
and Fairlane in Dearborn carry
more traditional lines, such as
Drexel and Heritage.
Two other Gorman's stores are
in Southfield: a business interiors
store on 10 Mile Road near Tele-
graph, and a clearance center on
Telegraph Road. A Grand Rapids
store was recently closed.
Gorman's employs 12 design-
ers at the Gallery, and 60 through-
out the chain.
Gorman's invested $250,000 in
its leased warehouse in Farm-
ington Hills. The new computer-
ized facility will replace the
Telegraph Road warehouse.
Moray was the National Home
Furnishings Association Retailer
of the Year in 1993, and is a for-
mer president of the NHFA. The
honor recognized the $1,250,000
he has raised for local charities
via such promotions as "dream

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