Cardinal Furniture Retains Joan Franken as Consultant

October 5, 2006  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Bedroom on October 2006 Cardinal Furniture, a new case goods company launched last April sourcing goods in Honduras, has retained Joan Franken as retail business development consultant.

Franken, founder of the Chicago-based furniture consultancy Concepts & Designs, has extensive experience in both retail and manufacturing. Her career includes serving as merchandise manager for high-end retailer Toms-Price, and more recently as vice president of case and upholstery merchandising at Henredon.

“Joan’s background as a retailer, buyer, and merchandiser will no doubt be a tremendous asset to our company,” said Cardinal’s president, Michael Scarsella. “Our focus is on our customers, the retailer, and Joan will bring a perspective that will only make us better at serving their needs. She will be involved in all aspects of our operation from product development, relationship building, sales education, and future business development.”

Franken said she’s looking forward to partnering with a fresh and entrepreneurial-based company like Cardinal.

“Their business model is positioned perfectly to maximize the profitability of their dealer base with great looking product stocked in North Carolina, competitive pricing, and something important from my retail experience: limited-protected distribution,” she said.

Scarsella, who founded Cardinal in March, said the company’s infrastructure in in place, with a manufacturing partner in Honduras, distribution center in North Carolina and corporate operations in Ohio.

“Our sales force is assembled and armed and our dealer base is continuously growing,” he said. “Dealer response has been extremely positive to our initial shipments and we have seen brisk activity at retail. We are looking forward to a great fall and 2007.”

Cardinal has more than doubled the size of its showroom at 226 Market Square, where at October market it will add two additional solid wood bedrooms to complement the original four, as well as a complete entertainment collection.