Vaughan-Bassett Partners with HGTV’s Ben and Erin Napier

April 13, 2018  by Jason Schneider in Business Strategy, Industry   

The first groups will debut this fall at High Point’s October Market, with sneak previews available for invited dealers beginning at Premarket in September.

“We are delighted to partner with Ben and Erin. America has fallen in love with them and with their commitment to their hometown of Laurel, Miss.,” said Wyatt Bassett, CEO. “Ben and Erin Napier showcase American-made products and support businesses and workers across the nation through their store, Laurel Mercantile.”

Laurel Mercantile’s flagship brand is Scotsman Co., which features Ben’s handmade reclaimed furniture designs and men’s workwear, flannel shirts, and American-made heirloom wares and durable goods for home and life.

The store is owned equally by Ben and Erin Napier and by their partners and best friends, Josh and Emily Nowell and Jim and Mallorie Rasberry. Together, the three couples have opened several new businesses in their hometown of Laurel, created new jobs, and helped revitalize their community.  

“As fans already know, Ben designs and builds his own furniture in his woodshop and Erin is an acclaimed designer. Together, they have already restored and transformed dozens of homes in Laurel and we cannot wait for Ben and Erin to bring their design ideas and expertise to Vaughan-Bassett,” Bassett added.

“Since the launch of our TV show, we have been approached by several companies wanting to develop furniture collections for them,” said Ben Napier.  “We were determined, however, to work with a manufacturer in the United States and not with an importer.

“We know Vaughan-Bassett is committed to their hometown of Galax, Va., and to the people there, and we are excited that our designs will be lovingly made with American craftsmanship, American quality, and by the largest manufacturer of wooden residential furniture in the United States,” he added.

“We believe that our brand and message perfectly align with the Vaughan-Bassett brand and message: a commitment to great design, to superior quality, and to lasting value that can only be achieved by making it here in the United States,” said Erin Napier. “We know from experience that this is a powerful message and that it resonates with the American consumer.”

Ben and Erin Napier’s series on HGTV, “Home Town,” debuted in January 2016 with the highest rated pilot in the network’s history. Season 2 ended in March 2018 with 14 million total viewers, helping HGTV hold its position as the number 4 ranked cable network among upscale women aged 25-54 during the Monday 9-10 p.m. ET/PT time slot. This performance led the network to order an expanded 13 episodes for season 3, which will air in early 2019, corresponding with the time the Napiers’ furniture collections will be hitting dealers’ floors.

The Napiers have an impressive social media footprint, with 291,000 followers on Erin and Ben’s Instagram pages, 72,000 followers on Laurel Mercantile’s Instagram page, and 30,000 followers on Laurel Mercantile’s Facebook page. They have over 393,000 followers combined on their various social media pages.

“We foresee many ways that Ben and Erin Napier and Vaughan-Bassett can help drive traffic to a dealer’s store and help that store stand out in today’s crowded marketplace,” said Bassett. “Antique-inspired furniture designs and an all-American message will help all of us sell more furniture and we can’t wait to get started.”

Vaughan-Bassett anticipates introducing two initial collections this fall: a higher-end solid wood collection featuring dual ball-bearing drawer guides and smooth acrylic-finished interior drawer sides and a second collection that is more sharply priced that utilizes wood veneers and selected solids.

Bassett added that the partnership with the Napiers is a long-term commitment for the company and that additional casegoods collections would be added at future markets.

Ben and Erin Napier will appear for one hour in the Vaughan-Bassett showroom on Saturday, April 14 at 12 p.m. to meet dealers and the media. Vaughan-Bassett’s showroom is located in space C1000 on the 10th floor of the Commerce Wing of the IHFC.