Art Van
Encyclopedia
Art Van Furniture is a major furniture
retail
store chain based in Warren, Michigan
. Thusfar, thirty-six stores have been opened in the state of Michigan
, including many locations in Metro Detroit
. In terms of sale, it is Michigan
's largest furniture retailer, and the eighth-largest in the United States
.
furniture
showroom on Gratiot Avenue
in Eastpointe, Michigan
. Van Elslander found it easier to omit his last name
when doing business, which eventually contributed to the naming of the store.
Van Elslander based his business on the principal of quick delivery
. In most retailers in the United States
at the time, there would be a long waiting period
of weeks or even months on the delivery of the furniture
. The business' slow success was based on the fact that the furniture was delivered almost immediately from Van Elslander's warehouse
.
Detroit's automobile industry boosted the city's economy, and furniture sales soon skyrocketed. Van Elslander took up business partner
s to assist in the funding of seven additional outlets which were built by 1964. The economy
soon went down, and Van Elslander was soon fearing the possibility of bankruptcy. Van Elslander opened up a liquidation tent at the Michigan State Fair
the same weekend the Beatles were playing. Van Elslander eventually sold off three of his stores to business partner
s, keeping four of the outlets to himself. Van Elslander began to advertise
his store in the early 1970s. It became well known to the Detroit area
, advertising primarily its sales and free delivery services.
Around 1974, many Michigan
furniture
outlets
began to fall into bankruptcy. Yet, Art Van still prospered, opening stores in nearby Michigan
cities such as Lansing
and Flint
.
In 1987, Art and Gary Van Elslander, Chairman and President of the Art Van corporation, acquired an upper class
furniture store, Scott Shuptrine, and bought three other stores, giving them the same name. The Shuptrine and Art Van stores had different demographics, making sales very diverse. Gary Van Elslander left the Art Van company in order to pursue the Shuptrine brand in 1989. The profits were not as vast because of higher competition for high-end furniture
as well as the fact that most of the furniture was geared towards use by interior designers. As Art Van continued to grow, Shuptrine declined; ending up with two stores still intact.
In 1992, Van Elslander added clearance centers to his stores. These locations would sell products that were damaged
or defective
at a discounted price. The discounted goods added greatly to the outlets' business.
By 1997, the chain had grown to 26 stores. Its Warren
store was expanded to fit in with its upper class
customer
s, adding things like an atrium
, a cappuccino
bar, and a more luxurious selection of furniture, while keeping its mainstream selection intact. A play area for children was also added to the store, so the children could be supervised and occupied while their parents shopped. The company began to also build upon the shopping experience: walking people to their cars, washing customers' windshields, helping to load large purchases into their vehicles, etc.
In 2009, the Art Van furniture company celebrated its 50th anniversary. To help celebrate, the company donated 50 bedroom sets to the Make A Wish foundation, one of many charitable contributions the company has made to its community. The company, which is known for being the largest furniture company in Michigan, is also the second ranked furniture company in the state as well, its clearance center being a separate company. Along with that, the company also controls over 50% of the bedding sales in the state. Interestingly, in 2010 the Art Van Furniture company profits were higher than the total sales of any other furniture company in Michigan, showing how large and reputable the company has become.
In January 2011, Art Van celebrated the Grand Opening of three new stores. These retail outlets included stores in Onaway
and Petoskey, Michigan
that were purchased from the Brubaker Family. The third new location marked the entrance of Art Van into a Mall environment with the opening of their Great Lakes Crossing
store in Auburn Hills, Michigan
.
Today, Art Van Furniture operates 37 stores in 36 cities throughout Michigan and employs over 4000 associates.
. This first of its kind, standalone store is offering a unique diagnostic system that fits the right "sleep system" to each individual person. The sleep system is a three-part solution that includes the proper mattress and foundation for proper support and comfort, the correct pillow to ensure correct spinal alignment, and a mattress protector to provide a clean and healthy sleeping environment. Due to the success of the one store, Art Van is looking to expand the concept with a dozen or so stores and the conversion of its in-store bedding departments to a Pure Sleep format.
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
retail
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
store chain based in Warren, Michigan
Warren, Michigan
Warren is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The 2010 census places the city's population at 134,056, making Warren the largest city in Macomb County, the third largest city in Michigan, and Metro Detroit's largest suburb....
. Thusfar, thirty-six stores have been opened in the state of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, including many locations in Metro Detroit
Metro Detroit
The Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is the metropolitan area located in Southeast Michigan centered on the city of Detroit which shares an international border with Windsor, Ontario. The Detroit metropolitan area is the second largest U.S. metropolitan area...
. In terms of sale, it is Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
's largest furniture retailer, and the eighth-largest in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Company history
In 1959, a young businessman by the name of Art Van Elslander opened the doors to a 4000 square feet (371.6 m²) DanishDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
showroom on Gratiot Avenue
M-3 (Michigan highway)
M-3 is a north–south state highway in the US state of Michigan in the Detroit metropolitan area. For most of its length, M-3 is known as Gratiot Avenue...
in Eastpointe, Michigan
Eastpointe, Michigan
Eastpointe is a city in Macomb County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 34,077. Eastpointe forms a part of the Metro Detroit area. It borders on 8 Mile Road on the northern edge of Detroit.- History :The community was first settled by Irish and German...
. Van Elslander found it easier to omit his last name
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
when doing business, which eventually contributed to the naming of the store.
Van Elslander based his business on the principal of quick delivery
Delivery (commerce)
Delivery is the process of transporting goods. Most goods are delivered through a transportation network. Cargo are primarily delivered via roads and railroads on land, shipping lanes on the sea and airline networks in the air...
. In most retailers in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at the time, there would be a long waiting period
Waiting period
A waiting period is a period of time which one must wait in order for a specific action to occur, after that action is requested or mandated.The term is commonly used in reference to gun control in the United States, where some U.S...
of weeks or even months on the delivery of the furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
. The business' slow success was based on the fact that the furniture was delivered almost immediately from Van Elslander's warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
.
Detroit's automobile industry boosted the city's economy, and furniture sales soon skyrocketed. Van Elslander took up business partner
Business partner
Business partner is a term used to denote a commercial entity with which another commercial entity has some form of alliance. This relationship may be a highly contractual, exclusive bond in which both entities commit not to ally with third parties...
s to assist in the funding of seven additional outlets which were built by 1964. The economy
Economy of the United States
The economy of the United States is the world's largest national economy. Its nominal GDP was estimated to be nearly $14.5 trillion in 2010, approximately a quarter of nominal global GDP. The European Union has a larger collective economy, but is not a single nation...
soon went down, and Van Elslander was soon fearing the possibility of bankruptcy. Van Elslander opened up a liquidation tent at the Michigan State Fair
Michigan State Fair
-History:The first official Michigan State Fair was held in 1849, which is claimed by the state of Michigan to be the oldest state fair in the United States. The first fair was held in Detroit, Michigan. Subsequent fairs were held in other cities until it received its permanent home in 1905 at the...
the same weekend the Beatles were playing. Van Elslander eventually sold off three of his stores to business partner
Business partner
Business partner is a term used to denote a commercial entity with which another commercial entity has some form of alliance. This relationship may be a highly contractual, exclusive bond in which both entities commit not to ally with third parties...
s, keeping four of the outlets to himself. Van Elslander began to advertise
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
his store in the early 1970s. It became well known to the Detroit area
Metro Detroit
The Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is the metropolitan area located in Southeast Michigan centered on the city of Detroit which shares an international border with Windsor, Ontario. The Detroit metropolitan area is the second largest U.S. metropolitan area...
, advertising primarily its sales and free delivery services.
Around 1974, many Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
outlets
Outlet store
An outlet store or factory outlet is a brick and mortar or online retail store in which manufacturers sell their stock directly to the public. Traditionally, a factory outlet was a store attached to a factory or warehouse, sometimes allowing customers to watch the production process like in the...
began to fall into bankruptcy. Yet, Art Van still prospered, opening stores in nearby Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
cities such as Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
and Flint
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
.
In 1987, Art and Gary Van Elslander, Chairman and President of the Art Van corporation, acquired an upper class
Upper class
In social science, the "upper class" is the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class may have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.- Historical meaning :...
furniture store, Scott Shuptrine, and bought three other stores, giving them the same name. The Shuptrine and Art Van stores had different demographics, making sales very diverse. Gary Van Elslander left the Art Van company in order to pursue the Shuptrine brand in 1989. The profits were not as vast because of higher competition for high-end furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
as well as the fact that most of the furniture was geared towards use by interior designers. As Art Van continued to grow, Shuptrine declined; ending up with two stores still intact.
In 1992, Van Elslander added clearance centers to his stores. These locations would sell products that were damaged
Damaged
Damaged is the debut studio album by the American hardcore punk band Black Flag. It was released in December 1981 through SST Records. In 2003, the album was ranked number 340 on Rolling Stones list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time....
or defective
Defective
Defective may refer to::*Defective matrix, in algebra*Defective verb, in linguistics*Defective, or haser, in Hebrew orthography, a spelling variant that does not include mater lectionis*Something presenting an anomaly making it unfunctional...
at a discounted price. The discounted goods added greatly to the outlets' business.
By 1997, the chain had grown to 26 stores. Its Warren
Warren, Michigan
Warren is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The 2010 census places the city's population at 134,056, making Warren the largest city in Macomb County, the third largest city in Michigan, and Metro Detroit's largest suburb....
store was expanded to fit in with its upper class
Upper class
In social science, the "upper class" is the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class may have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.- Historical meaning :...
customer
Customer
A customer is usually used to refer to a current or potential buyer or user of the products of an individual or organization, called the supplier, seller, or vendor. This is typically through purchasing or renting goods or services...
s, adding things like an atrium
Atrium (architecture)
In modern architecture, an atrium is a large open space, often several stories high and having a glazed roof and/or large windows, often situated within a larger multistory building and often located immediately beyond the main entrance doors...
, a cappuccino
Cappuccino
A cappuccino is an Italian coffee drink prepared with espresso, hot milk, and steamed-milk foam. The name comes from the Capuchin friars, referring to the colour of their habits.- Definition :...
bar, and a more luxurious selection of furniture, while keeping its mainstream selection intact. A play area for children was also added to the store, so the children could be supervised and occupied while their parents shopped. The company began to also build upon the shopping experience: walking people to their cars, washing customers' windshields, helping to load large purchases into their vehicles, etc.
In 2009, the Art Van furniture company celebrated its 50th anniversary. To help celebrate, the company donated 50 bedroom sets to the Make A Wish foundation, one of many charitable contributions the company has made to its community. The company, which is known for being the largest furniture company in Michigan, is also the second ranked furniture company in the state as well, its clearance center being a separate company. Along with that, the company also controls over 50% of the bedding sales in the state. Interestingly, in 2010 the Art Van Furniture company profits were higher than the total sales of any other furniture company in Michigan, showing how large and reputable the company has become.
In January 2011, Art Van celebrated the Grand Opening of three new stores. These retail outlets included stores in Onaway
Onaway, Michigan
Onaway is a city in Presque Isle County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 933 at the 2000 census. Onaway is the Sturgeon Capital of Michigan.-Commercial airports:...
and Petoskey, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
that were purchased from the Brubaker Family. The third new location marked the entrance of Art Van into a Mall environment with the opening of their Great Lakes Crossing
Great Lakes Crossing
Great Lakes Crossing Outlets is an enclosed shopping mall, super-regional in size, located in the city of Auburn Hills, a suburb of Detroit, Michigan, United States. Developed and owned by Taubman Centers, Great Lakes Crossing Outlets features over 180 stores and restaurants, a food court, and a...
store in Auburn Hills, Michigan
Auburn Hills, Michigan
Auburn Hills is a city in Metro Detroit, Oakland County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 21,412 at the 2010 census. The city was formed in 1983 when Pontiac Township became the City of Auburn Hills.-Economy:...
.
Today, Art Van Furniture operates 37 stores in 36 cities throughout Michigan and employs over 4000 associates.
Art Van Pure Sleep
In June 2009, Art Van Furniture opened its first Art Van Pure Sleep store in Canton Township, MichiganCanton Township, Michigan
The Charter Township of Canton, usually referred to as Canton, is an affluent charter township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The commuter town is located west of Detroit and east of Ann Arbor. As of the 2010 census, the township had a population of 90,173, making it Michigan's...
. This first of its kind, standalone store is offering a unique diagnostic system that fits the right "sleep system" to each individual person. The sleep system is a three-part solution that includes the proper mattress and foundation for proper support and comfort, the correct pillow to ensure correct spinal alignment, and a mattress protector to provide a clean and healthy sleeping environment. Due to the success of the one store, Art Van is looking to expand the concept with a dozen or so stores and the conversion of its in-store bedding departments to a Pure Sleep format.