Business Type Furniture anf Home Furnishing Stores

NAICS Code 442

Location 314 South Otsego Ave, Gaylord, MI 49735

Nearby Businesses

Owner/Manager Candi Edwards

Special Store Activities

Year Opened 1998

Website http://www.oldspudwarehouse.com/

Phone 989-731-0330

E-mail

Community Profile Gaylord (population 3,681; 10 mile radius 19,444) is a well-known regional golf, snow mobile, and skiing destination located in North-Central Michigan. Downtown Gaylord styles itself as an “alpine village”, with many buildings modeled after the Tyrolean travers” Swiss style. Other popular activities include cycling, hiking, fishing, trout angling, and hunting.

Products Sold & Niche Developed

The Old Spud Warehouse carries furniture, lighting, and home accents, including couches, chairs, end tables, lamps, rugs, artwork, clocks, frames, and other oddities. The Old Spud features unique antique furniture and decorative pieces of all varieties sourced from around the region. In addition to furniture, The Old Spud carries a selective collection of clothing, hand bags, and jewelry. Items are purchased singularly, product mix is always changing. Ten years ago the store was a gift shop, but has evolved into a home accent store based upon customer’s buying habits. Old Spud Warehouse tries to get away from the popular brand names to create a niche and be unique.

Listening to your customers is critical to success. Talking to customers, seeing what they buy and linger looking at to build a successful product mix – and always trying new things – are important. “If shopping is not fun – people are not going to return.” Small business must differentiate themselves, especially from large chain retailers. You must shop for products for the store as customers shop for products in the store, looking for something different and of a high perceived value. “Customer service is key, we are employed by the customer.” Finding your niche is important. The element of surprise is also important, to not be exactly what the customer is expecting.

Market Segments Served

Old Spud Warehouse draws from every segment, from young families furnishing their first home to established households looking for something new. Old Spud Warehouse draws heavily from the second owners’ market due to their predominance in the region.

Contributions to the Business Community

The Old Spud Warehouse is located in a former potato farmer’s cooperative building, built in 1900. “Located in a historic building is great, you can’t buy charm and ambiance.”

25 years ago Old Spud Warehouse partnered with another business to develop a tri-fold brochure to highlight downtown businesses that are not on Main Street. The brochure was recently revamped into a 16-page brochure full of local advertising. Old Spud Warehouse is involved with local beautification using natural landscaping, and supporting signage promoting the downtown.