Local Businesses Look for Their Niche With Key Survival Strategies

By David Simon

The Entrepreneurial Edge recently visited three businesses and explored their survival strategies: Calico Corners, Alternative Closets and Home Floors Today.

All are located at one of the most underrated hubs in Westchester, Route 117 and Armonk Road in Mount Kisco, and happen to be owned or managed by women, who are in charge of operating successful enterprises.

They each shared a few of the secrets they use to operate successful businesses in the current economic environment. However, a common thread is the emphasis on value and connecting with the customer.

In 1948, Dorothy Alber had a vision to open a company in Westchester and named it Calico Corners. She marketed it as the leader of fabrics for furniture and drapery.

After 20 years of studying the success of leadership at her Mamaroneck location, Calico transferred Natalie Ferrara to its Mount Kisco location to be the local store’s manager. Her goal was to help bring a package of values to Mount Kisco–separate Calico from the competition by providing highly competitive pricing, workroom communication, customer satisfaction and “the people factor. ”

The idea is to give each customer an experience that will have them spread the news of the business by word of mouth if they have enjoyed the products and customer service.

“When people leave our store.. people need to be excited about Calico so they can talk about us to the community,” Ferrara said.

Upholstery sales have gone up 30 percent since her arrival in Mount Kisco earlier this year.

In 1988, Alternative Closet Company was created by Cy Fromkin. His vision was to eliminate wasted space from the home and transform it into unique storage and closet space–as well as providing a business for his children.

Its president, Stefani Stein (Fromkin’s daughter), has taken Alternative Closet to the next level by hiring only “space designers,” sales representatives who have a wealth of experience in home furnishings or a related field so the company’s products and services are maximized.

“Our designers eliminate waste so customers can justify every space that receives our solid wood drawers so that dressing rooms, mud rooms, garages are an added beauty to the home,” Stein said.

The need for space will always have an intrinsic value; therefore, Alternative Closets provides value to its customers.

Home Floors Today’s President Alison Simon’s family started a local flooring business in 1953. By 2007, it became the largest purchaser of commercial flooring for some of the largest spaces in New York City, including the Empire State Building and Lincoln Center.

Last year, Simon decided to sharpen her marketing strategy and provide “best buys and best installers” for the homeowner and residential designer builder. She focuses on the six Ps: price, product (or service), place, promotion, people and positioning.

“Home Floors’ focus (is) carpeting and flooring products for best price, installed (service) by certified artisans,” Simon said. “That is what the builder designer wants for the consumer needs. Flooring is not a volume business, it’s a people business.”

Aside from a convenient location for her core customers in Armonk, Chappaqua, Mount Kisco and Pleasantville, Home Floors Today also uses a strategy of full transparency and value.

“We do not hide mill names. It’s important that the consumer have full disclosure of product. Home Floors Today is committed to total transparency so that the consumer gets ‘best buys, best installers.’ That is the promotion. If the product element is off, you won’t have anything to sell that your customers want to buy.”

Survival is key in today’s business environment. You can go to workshops, buy the books, listen to the tapes and take action. At some point an entrepreneur has to take action. You’ve got to pull the trigger. Try something. If it doesn’t give you perfect results, don’t be afraid to readjust and try again.

Armonk resident David Simon is chairman emeritus of Certified Floor Coverings International and the former New York representative of the World Floor Covering Association. He can be reached at davidkanesimon@aol.com.