Multistore Category: Robb & Stucky Patio, Fort Myers, Fla.

Multistore Category: Robb & Stucky Patio, Fort Myers, Fla.

-- Casual Living, 9/1/2008 12:00:00 AM

The façade of the Robb & Stucky Las Vegas store, which opened this year.

After several years of aggressive expansion, Robb & Stucky now finds itself in a good position to weather the economic doldrums the nation is enduring. The retailer currently has 10 patio showrooms in Florida, Nevada and Arizona, and is focusing on maximizing the business each of those stores generates.

“On the operations side, we've made great progress in inventory control and partnering with vendors to reduce lead times,” said Jon Rubinstein, division vice president, Robb & Stucky Patio. “Additionally, we're continuing to enhance our merchandise assortment to get it more in line with our core customers.”

He said the retailer also is working to enhance the direct marketing initiatives it introduced last year, mainly its Web site and direct mail campaign. The company wants both to work in tandem to drum up more in-store sales.

(Clockwise, from top left) Jim Levine, Jon Rubinstein, Greg Donelson and Nikki Graf.

“Direct mail gives us the ability to specifically target our customers and prospect for new customers,” Rubinstein said. “It also drives people to the Web site, where people can go to research our product line and purchase if they choose.”

The Web site helps drive traffic into Robb & Stucky stores, where customers are treated to the kind of service that has earned the company its fifth Apollo Award nomination.

“Our customer service is twofold,” said Rubinstein. “One, it's the experience customers get in our stores working with our designers and taking advantage of our full design services and house calls. We're very personalized in our service approach. We also have a corporate customer service department that handles any potential issues that might come up.”

In other words, Robb & Stucky customers are taken care of no matter what. In the end, that goes a long way toward bringing them back and keeping business strong for the retailer no matter how sluggish the economy is.