Many Erie County-ians will be familiar with the name K&K Interiors. You've likely visited the outlet-style store on Venice Rd. or at its old location near the Sandusky Mall. Right now, you might be surprised a retail shop (even the beautiful K&K) made our list of the top development projects of the year. But K&K is not your standard retailer.

Starting in 1996 as a cart in the mall, with a combination of good taste and a whole lot of hustle over the years, K&K has grown to be a major wholesaler, selling their home decor products to thousands of retailers from big box stores such as Stein Mart, Nordstrom, and Bloomingdale's, to "mom and pop" shops around the country. For many years, K&K built their wholesale business through award-winning showrooms alone (mock storefronts visited by merchandisers to make their selections), but several years ago the company made a strategic shift and added a team of account managers located across the country to further support clients. This pivot helped the company maintain their growth trajectory and continues to fuel their success today.

K&K's current growth spurt is driven by a combination of greater volume sales as well as new accounts. Sales efforts driven by the account manager model and award winning showrooms have proven to be a dynamic duo. It's clear when speaking to any K&K representative that they take great pride in their 40,000 square feet of showroom space in Atlanta, Dallas, and Las Vegas. The showrooms have performed strongly year over year, driving sales to mom and pop shops while encouraging very loyal, repeat customers. Creative Director, Stephanie Voss, also attributes growth to the company's product. K&K's product has changed and evolved over time to be more inclusive of all types of decor. "Collections" such as Modern Farmhouse - rustic, yet clean, fresh, and modern - have opened doors to new retailers and designers and now the wholesaler is considered a "one stop shop".

These factors combined with founder Kyle Camp's customer-centric focus lead to record-breaking months in September & October 2019 - the biggest shipping months in the company's history. But as Marketing Director, Doug Brown, says "your growth is only as good as your ability to support it". And as they have in the past, K&K is demonstrating the business acumen and entrepreneurial spirit necessary to support this growth. In April, the company acquired the former Akro-Mils facility at 4101 Venice road, adding 300,000 square feet to their warehousing and operations footprint. The acquisition of the facility will greatly improve efficiencies in warehousing and distribution for the company which prides itself not only on fantastic design, unprecedented selection, outstanding quality, great value, and an exceptional showroom experience, but also superior customer service and timely shipping .

All inventory will eventually be housed under one roof, allowing K&K to further streamline shipping performance. Final preparations are being made at the new site including racking, networking, wiring, and infrastructure to get new inventory management systems up and running. Managing inventory in decor is unique as K&K has over 10,000 individual SKU's. With the new building acquisition allowing for greater efficiencies, other opportunities have made their way to the forefront, such as exciting changes at the K&K Plaza.This includes the expansion of their corporate show room which will be completely renovated allowing for account managers to host key clients in Sandusky, as well as serve as a test ground for the company's market show rooms. Additionally in the plaza, K&K is creating a state-of-the-art photography studio, and updating and re-branding the K&K Warehouse Outlet Store potentially leading into e-commerce opportunities. So, as you may have gathered, the K&K outlet store that many locals know is just a small, niche piece of their business that locals are privy to, and just one of the avenues for growth in this home decor giant.

Want more behind-the-scenes looks at K&K's expansion? We recently awarded K&K Interiors "Deal of the Year" at our annual meeting. Watch the award video here to see more of their facilities.

The 12 Days of Development email series recognizes and celebrates another year of progress in Erie County, Ohio. Throughout the weeks of December, you will receive email spotlights on a company investing, improving and innovating in our community. We can't capture it all, so let us know a neighbor we missed or what activities you've got planned to make the 2020 list! #ErieCounty12Days