FOCUS | Blueprint for a successful showroom
‘It’s important to remain positive’
Halcyon Interiors has three kitchen showrooms in London and Buckinghamshire, including a fl agship store on Wigmore Street. We spoke to showroom and design manager Graham Robinson to fi nd out more about the business and why it’s been successful…
Q & A
Q: How did Halcyon Interiors come about? A: It was established in 1981 by Steve and Sue Gobel, who started selling and installing kitchens. In 1989, they opened their fi rst showroom in Hatch End [north-west London], where it still remains. Eight years later – in 1997 – they started their relationship with the Alno brand, and, in 2005, opened the Alno fl agship showroom on London’s Wigmore Street. Since then, we have opened our third showroom, in Beaconsfi eld, Buckinghamshire. Our Hatch End showroom is our centre for admin
and project management. Wigmore Street has 10 displays set over two fl oors and our Beaconsfi eld showroom is an unusual space – it’s a building from the 1600s. We have a warehouse in Watford, which we own, and we employ a full-time logistics team, which gives us total control.
Q: Who’s your customer base and how do you promote and market your business? A: We have a broad spectrum of clients, from interior designers and architects, to individuals who are looking to improve their kitchens, as well as volume contracts, too. A large proportion of our work comes from
recommendations, so our service and reputation is very important to us. We advertise and are active with PR events and on social media.
Q: How many staff do you employ? A: We have fi ve designers, four admin staff, two in logistics and an eight-strong fi tting team.
Q: Which end of the market do you aim at and why? A: We aim at the premium end of the market, as this is a true refl ection of the quality of the brands we supply and the service we provide.
Q: Which brands you do work with and why? A: Alno – for its breadth of fi nishes, its quality and quick lead times; Warendorf, for those customers that want a huge choice and fl exibility, due to the unique way its carcass is constructed; and Eggersmann, which provides us with very unusual
50 kbbreview · September 2019
Halcyon Interiors Wigmore Street showroom in London
fi nishes, unique, stone and steel fronts and the ability to be bespoke. Appliances are from Miele, Gaggenau, Siemens,
Sub-Zero, Wolf, Barazza, Westin, Elica, Fisher and Paykel and Bora. Our worktops are from Silestone, Caesarstone, CRL, Corian and Spekva, and sinks and taps from Dornbracht, Blanco and 1810.
Q: How’s the current market? Is it tough and what are you doing to stay on top of it? A: Retail has changed dramatically over the past few years, but it is important to remain positive. Last month was our busiest sales-wise for two years. It is paramount to look at every detail of the business – to provide the best service, while improving effi ciency to reduce waste. We have a schedule of events of different types to bring people to our showrooms, and we are always open to opportunities that can lead to a new client visiting us.
Q: How has the business achieved its success? A: We pride ourselves in giving great individual service, regardless of the size of the project. We tailor each kitchen to the client’s needs. Every project is followed through to completion by the designer, so close relationships are developed. Due to this, our service is often recommended. Even once the kitchen is fi nished, we are still on hand to demonstrate appliances, or help with any service issue that may arise.
Q: What are your future plans for the business? Are you confi dent going forward? A: We are continually looking at our showroom space and the way we use it to make the most of the locations. We are certainly confi dent for the future, as we have a great range of products. Combined with recent innovations from appliance manufacturers, there is a lot to be excited about.
kbbr Alno by Halcyon – in the Wigmore Street showroom
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