Clint Engel
WARREN, Mich. — Art Van Furniture has hired retail design firm Chute Gerdeman to help it pore over everything from merchandise mix to floor layout and design to improve the consumer shopping experience.


It expects to begin implementing design changes within the next 12 months, said Chris Morrisroe, Art Van spokeswoman.

But just how much will be changed, and how much it will cost, is hard to say because the design firm needs to study Art Van, its collections, traffic flow and other aspects of the operation before it makes any recommendations, said Morrisroe.

The retailer is in one of the toughest markets in the country, and its sales have been flat to down over the past five years.

“We are looking into every aspect of our business and deciding how it fits in with today’s consumer,” said Ken Van Elslander, co-president of the 29-store Top 100 company.

“We want to make sure that we offer a fresh, pleasant shopping environment and that we are featuring the type of merchandise that our guests are looking for. Chute Gerdeman will help us determine where we are meeting expectations and where there is room for improvement,” he said.

While the Columbus, Ohio-based Chute Gerdeman appears to have limited furniture industry experience, it is no stranger to retail and high-profile projects. Among its clients are Blockbuster, Federated Department Stores, Eddie Bauer Home and M&Ms World, for whom it designed a 17,000-square-foot, candy-coated chocolate wonderland of a store in Orlando’s Florida Mall.

Its services include brand strategy and identity development, consumer research and trend analysis, space planning, merchandise mix analysis, visual merchandising and marketing.

The midpriced to high-end Art Van said that in addition to design and layout changes, it wants to incorporate more “trend forward” product into its mix. Morrisroe added that Art Van is working with another consultant, Mariana Keros, to help determine some of these trends, then will turn to Chute Gerdemen for help on effectively displaying that merchandise.

Art Van also has begun a training program that promotes relationship-building skills for its associates.

“The approach of how we serve our guests is evolving,” said Gary Van Elslander, co-president. Past training has been more product-oriented, while the new program is more about “positive guest relationships.”

With 29 stores in 28 Michigan cities, Art Van was No. 15 on Furniture/Today’s latest survey of the Top 100 U.S. Furniture Stores, with estimated furniture bedding and accessories sales of $535 million last year, down 1.8% from 2004. In recent months, it has had a series of management changes, including the departure of former president Bill Barto last fall and the subsequent elevation of the Van Elslander brothers to co-presidents.

Asked if Art Van was making this latest move as a result of the tough retail environment, Morrisroe said that in order to grow, the company has pursued change in both good times and bad.

“If you don’t change on a regular basis, you get behind,” she said.  “As the No. 1 retailers, we’ve always continued to update. The consumer is changing. There is additional competition from the Sam’s Clubs, Targets and Costcos of the world coming in. It’s time to change as you always do in retail.”