Gary Evans
EDMOND, Okla. — Charles Ballenger wanted to open his new Ballengers store here with products that would be different from other


retailers in the market, and that would draw customers to “lifestyle” furniture depicting travel and adventure.

The veteran retailer turned to Highland House and the manufacturer’s “shops” concept, which showcases groups of furniture based on locations in Europe — England, France, Italy and, most recently, Scandinavia.

Ballengers is in a new, upscale, 10 million-square-foot shopping center built by Ballenger and his brother to attract like-minded tenants, including upscale restaurants, fine clothing stores and specialty shops.

After 30 years in the business, Ballenger wanted to stock his store with merchandise that would attract affluent homeowners from this north Oklahoma City suburb, where houses run from $500,000 to $1.5 million and McMansions are common.

“The decision to establish a store that would feature this kind of merchandise was reached after quite a bit of review,” he said. “For over two years, I’ve watch Tom (Staats, Highland House’s president) and what he’s putting together. It’s a tightly focused group. Tom has put a lot of study into what he’s done.”

The 16,000-square-foot Ballengers, which recently had a soft opening, is among a growing number of retailers that, amid a sea of sameness, is looking for something different that’s easily understood by consumers. Perhaps more important is that it must be highly salable.

Highland House, the Century Furniture division long known as a traditional furniture company, took that direction nearly 10 years ago when it introduced Cotswold Cottage, a romantic group reminiscent of an English manor.

That struck a chord with consumers, and spawned Rue de Provence, a cottage-style French offering with colorful fabrics and antique finishes; Le Cinque Terre, inspired by the coastal Italian villages of the same name; and the latest, Scandinavian Simplicity, a clean contemporary group introduced in April.

All include case goods, upholstery and occasional, and are grouped under the banner of European Excursions. Each market, a few new pieces typically are added to each group, but the aim is to keep the groups tightly focused, with each piece carefully selected.

Highland House’s shops concept is catching on with a number of retailers, who like the Excursions story and its niche in the marketplace.

Luke Depuis, who describes himself as a designer and entrepreneur, owns Home Comfort on Lake Winnipesauke in Center Harbor, N.H., and says he’s had success mixing the eclectic Excursion pieces with real antiques.