By Nancy Meyer
NEW YORK–Croscill Home continues to venture beyond its core soft-home business with big-box retailers.
The bedding and bath company’s latest brand extension into lighting, accent furniture and pet beds is taking it to new markets, such as this month’s Hospitality Design Expo in Las Vegas, and the Las Vegas Market in July.
The line was created to “complement and enhance” Croscill’s bedding and bath product, with exclusive designs and the special attention to detail for which Croscill is known, explained Debbie Finn, who coordinates the new product development.
“We wanted to reach a very accessible price point, but with a special look,” Finn said. As an alternative to all the bent metal and resin lamps currently on the market, Croscill is offering hand-blown glass, silver mercury, sand-blasted and mother of pearl lamps with suede shades, that are draped and embellished and all hit an average between $45 and $55 wholesale.
While most accent furniture out there is dark, Croscill’s line has silhouettes in platinum, which stands out, and in cherry, sage, onyx and other finishes with hand-applied silver leaf, brass handles and other special touches. Furniture wholesale prices are $81 to $150, so its highest retail would be about $350. “We offer the look for less,” Finn said.
The line, designed in-house and made in China, is in stock and ready to ship within a week, she added.
So far, the line has opened many new doors in small specialty retailers, mail-order catalogs and other channels, Finn said.
“People who are outside the big-box retailers don’t necessarily know that they can buy Croscill, or where or how to buy it,” she said. Whereas Croscill’s core line has a minimum order of $5,000, the minimum order for the accent furniture, lamps and pet beds is $350, “so we’ll make it accessible to you,” Finn said.
Croscill’s own sales representative force carries the line, but several independent agencies are being hired to tap new channels.
