Last week we announced an exciting addition to The Ace of Space, called Sweet Pond Cottage. It’s going to be full of inspiration and ideas, and we hope you’ll follow along as we share our design journey. In a few weeks, we’ll have a separate page for the Cottage where you can follow our progress and learn more about the products we”ll be using.
We are so thrilled to reveal one of our brand partners, Your Bar Stool Store. It’s a new year with new projects for many designers and homeowners (including Sweet Pond Cottage), and Your Bar Stool Store has one of the most comprehensive lines of bar/counter stools and chairs available. The stools we chose are going to be perfect for lake life at the Cottage, and we can’t wait to reveal our choices soon!
Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kevin Painchaud, the owner of Your Bar Stool Store, about his success story and company along with a sampling of the great products they offer. As always, our goal is to bring our readers the best design and products from around the globe.
The company offers a variety of different design styles, this just a sampling from an extensive inventory…
Vicki Gladle Bolick: Kevin, you’ve had an interesting career path, how did the company begin?
Kevin Painchaud: I had been directing and producing for film and TV for over 14 years. 10 of those 14 years were in Los Angeles. Being in the entertainment industry became a very draining experience. My wife and I were looking for a change and decided to move to Northern California. It was during this time that my wife had the idea of selling bar stools, there really wasn’t a big online presence for quality product or even customization options.
VGB: People are certainly purchasing more products online than in previous years, what makes Your Bar Stool Store standout from the competition?
KP: When we started our site, the focus was on providing superior customer service. I wanted to spoil every single customer that came to our e-commerce store. I’d spend hours helping them find what they wanted. I really love the idea of helping people find the perfect barstool or chair whether it’s a commercial or residential project. As the word spread, we quickly began getting orders from designers and began working on larger projects. This allowed us to hire more staff, creating a team that loves working with customers. We all share the same passion, to provide the best service possible.
VGB: What is your business/ design philosophy?
KP: My philosophy has always been about customer service. We don’t have the people or money to compete with larger e-commerce sites, but the one thing that sets us apart is our ability to offer superior customer service, it was our focus when we first began Your Bar Stool Store, and it’s who we are to this day. The opportunity for customization is unique for a wholesaler, let alone on large-scale projects.
VGB: Having customization options is unique for an online retailer, we’d love to hear more about this service.
KP: Last year we were working on a huge project and we needed someone to custom build a few hundred bar stools. We found a manufacturer in the Midwest run by the Amish. For so many of our projects, he’s able to custom build anything from reclaimed wood table tops, chairs, metal fences to our own line of beer garden tables that our clients can customize. Currently, he’s working on custom designing and building desks, headboards and bathroom vanities for a hotel project that we’re doing. The quality is unsurpassed. We have access to pretty much any product, and our clients are no longer limited to what they can find. The only limitation is literally their own imagination.
VGB: The sourcing service is going to be a true game-changer for designers, homeowners & restaurants. How does it work?
The key thing that sets us apart is our furniture sourcing service. A designer, restaurant owner or small business owner can come to us and present us a list of items that they need for their project. We’ll take the time to find everything on their list. We have wholesale accounts with over 350 suppliers across the country allowing us access to everything that a designer would need. From bar stools, chairs, tables, couches, lights, umbrellas, fire pits and even pool tables. Designers no longer need to spend time searching online trying to find items and check on inventory. We handle everything for our clients.
VGB: What are some of your favorite projects?
KP: We have had such an amazing opportunity to work on so many great projects. We are currently working with the House of Blues revamping all the venues across the country. This has been a fun project because living in LA, I have spent so many nights watching shows at the House of Blues and loved the rustic design style. It’s been so rewarding being a part of such a legendary operation. We are currently working on our 6th House of Blues location. Other fun and notable projects include a project for the White House, Mercedes-Benz, and we also source furniture for the PGA tour throughout the year. Right now, we are working with an international restaurant chain that is opening their first location in the United States. We are custom building everything for them from chairs, bar stools, tables, counters, and shelves. Although, you supply to restaurants what about the individual consumer or designer.
VGB: Are customization options available for the consumer as well?
KP: We love working with everyone. We do a lot of custom work for small orders. Lately, there has been a lot of custom beer garden tables and unique tables. We have done a few custom orders for smaller quantities. Literally, the sky is the limit. Even if a designer is working on a small project, they should still feel free to send us their entire list. We know where to get everything and can still get them the best prices. The majority of designers that work with us once, keep coming back. We save them sometimes weeks of research and a lot of money. Superior customer service has always our mission.
“The only limitation is your own imagination!” – Kevin Painchaud
I want to thank Your Bar Stool Store for being one of our Brand Partners at Sweet Pond Cottage, and I hope you’ll consider using them in your next project! I’ll be sharing more on our progress at the “Inspiration Cottage” in the upcoming weeks, so check back…
THIS POST IS IN COLLABORATION WITH YOUR BAR STOOL STORE, ALL OPINIONS & MUSINGS ARE 100% OUR OWN. AS ALWAYS WE WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND PRODUCTS OR SERVICES THAT DIDN”T MEET OUR HIGH STANDARDS.
