The staff I have now are such survivors, they are so flexible. We've gone heavily into furniture and fabric, otherwise our product mix is very similar, and we've doubled our inventory. Our old customers are still coming to us and we're gaining new ones. There's been a turn around in the economy, and decorating is strong. Consumers are spending more money on these items.
Timing is an issue as well.
We never hire designers in our stores. It's important that staff love people and the retail situation. Then you can teach them the business. To be a success in home furnishings retailing you should find something that really turns you on, a place where there's a hole in the marketplace. You should have a good feel for finance, marketing, buying, management.