HFA Names PerLora Furniture Design 2020 Retailer of the Year

April 7, 2021  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry   

PerLora is a medium to high-end furniture and design store founded by Perry and Lora Sigesmund. Both Perry and Lora grew up in the furniture industry. Each of their families launched and operated a furniture store for over 25 years. After recognizing the void in the Pittsburgh market for Contemporary Furniture, they purchased and renovated an old industrial building in Pittsburgh's South Side and opened it in June 1994.

HFA plans to honor PerLora with an in-store celebration as COVID-19 restrictions allow, and the local Pittsburgh community is also encouraged to congratulate their hometown retailer.

"PerLora is a shining example of what it means to be a 2020 Retailer of the Year," HFA CEO Mark Schumacher commented. "Perry and Lora have the furniture industry etched in their DNA, and their leadership has turned PerLora into a shining example of what can be accomplished through diligence and hard work. Their company has now survived two economic crises, and they have emerged stronger in each instance."

In 1999, PerLora opened an all-leather showroom, PerLora Leather, and in 2015 opened PerLora Loft, which caters to a younger audience. Across all three stores, PerLora stays true to its mission and offers a unique customer-centric experience.

During this past year, PerLora restructured their advertising mix, created a category for in-stock merchandise on their website, implemented sales training with Sales Rx at PerLora Leather, and purchased more for immediate delivery.

"Being flexible enough to pivot with the times brought us increased sales in 2020 and two times the website traffic that we had in 2019," said Lora Sigesmund. "And over-communicating with our customers about supply chain delays has made a huge difference to maintain a positive customer journey."

Since day one, PerLora has always given back to the community. Through the support of numerous charities, other local businesses and non-profit organizations, their local food bank, and dedicating space in their store to highlight female and minority-owned accessory companies, PerLora understands the importance of social responsibility.

The home furnishings industry nominated HFA members based on their exceptional examples of philanthropy, technology, customer experience, mentoring, sustainability, and store culture. A panel of judges comprised of members of HFA's Board of Directors, HFA members; Past ROTY Winners; manufacturers; service providers/suppliers; and members of the industry media voted on the nominations.