Paramus, N.J. — Pirch, the six-year-old luxury appliance and plumbing chain, will open its eighth showroom next week, its first in the New York metro area.
Like its predecessors in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and Southern California, the new 20,000-square-foot store is located in an upscale indoor mall — in this case the Garden State Plaza, here — and will provide what the company described as “a sensory tour de force.”
Guests are welcomed by a barista, chefs are on hand full time for demonstrations and instruction, and the assisted sales floor features live product vignettes — that extend to the restrooms, where plumbing fixtures are showcased for the ultimate personal demo.
Majaps span the laundry, floor care, and indoor and outdoor kitchen categories, and include such premium brands as Aga, Bertazzoni, Bosch, Jenn-Air, Lynx, Miele, Sub-Zero/Wolf and Thermador.
The chain also offers in-house installation and repair services, and provides kitchen cabinetry, countertops and design services through on-site partners, marketing director Maria Meeuwisse told TWICE .
The company was co-founded in 2009 by CEO Jeffery Sears, formerly CEO at Barbecues Galore, which operates 70 stores throughout the Southwest.
Before that he was president/CEO of Creative Touch Interiors, a builder channel supplier, which was later sold to The Home Depot and became Home Depot Supply, its industrial distributor arm. During his tenure there he grew the business from $17 million to $1.2 billion in annual revenue.
Sears and his team, which includes co-founder Jim Stuart, have similarly high ambitions for Pirch, which was launched in San Diego in response to “horrible” experiences buying plumbing and majaps.
“Our company was born from empathy and frustration,” Sears said. “Our presence will rewrite how products in the appliance and plumbing industry are viewed by the general public. Pirch is delivering a retail experience that encourages guests to dream about, play with, and ultimately choose products that will improve their lives at home.”
He added: “The products we carry are integral to creating inspired moments, and we believe that the process of selecting them should be just as inspiring.”
The philosophy, and execution, has led to numerous accolades, including “Most Innovative Showroom” at KBIS’ 2015 Innovative Showroom Awards; a ranking of 25th on Forbes’ 2015 list of “America’s 100 Most Promising Companies”; and Sears’ inclusion on Goldman Sachs’ 2013 “Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs” list and the National Retail Federation’s 2015 “List of 25 People Shaping Retail’s Future,” within the “Disruptor” category.
Expanding when other retailers — notably his namesake big-box chain Sears — are contracting, he will bring Pirch’s special showroom panache to Paramus, N.J., on March 28.
