Design Winner

A new owner ups the already elegant ante at Parker Robinson.

By Carol Tisch

Did Erik Kent see the March 2007 issue of Sarasota Magazine? Yes. Was he the owner of Parker Robinson when we featured the home furnishings shop in is Who’s In Store? No.

Kent bought Parker Robinson from Marcia Boyle on March 16, a month after our issue dropped, and he and wife Liliya just celebrated the occasion with the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, now 2,400 members strong. You’ll see a photo similar to this one in the next issue of the Chamber’s newsletter, The Bridge.

Ribbon Cutting ceremonies last week were attended by John Fenimore, sales representative, Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, Liliya and Erik Kent of Parker Robinson, and Virginia Ray, manager of membership development and sales for the Chamber.

In two short months, the changes at Parker Robinson have been astounding. If you’re like me, and thought the store was super-elegant before, you’re in for a surprise. Kent, who retired here from Long Island, NY, was proprietor of a window coverings and design store on Manhasset, Long Island’s tony “Miracle Mile” – coincidentally right next door to my tony former hair salon, NuBest (the building once housed Best & Co., a department store).

Lucky for us, Kent got bored with retirement. Now the ASID Allied Designer is feeling out the market in Sarasota, testing the water to see just how sophisticated we’ll get. Kent tells me he’s already got an inclination that most of the snowbirds aren’t willing to spend as much on furnishings as they do for their primary residences. So he’s buying smart, and bringing in stuff that looks like it costs a lot more than it does.

“We’ve tried to continue what Marcia started and embellish that with a range of interior design services, furniture and accessories,” he explained. So what’s new? Kent has added antiques to the mix, lined the walls with paintings, and expanded the store’s offering of Pratesi linens to include everything – even beach towels and robes. He’s already worked the High Point furniture market to ensure his furniture offerings are one of a kind.

Pratesi linens of every sort are now at Parker Robinson.

Parker Robinson has become a priority dealer for Hunter Douglas, and in addition to ready made drapery panels, the store will create custom top treatments for windows: jabots, swags and cornices. A library of designer fabric and wall covering sample books has also been added – to supplement the silks Kent imports from India.

What’s more, Kent is borrowing a marketing tool he employed at his New York store for 35 years: in-home design consultations. “Customers love it,” he says,” and we’re getting lots of referrals.” At $250 for his suggestions and ideas, the service is bargain. Even more so because the fee is deducted from purchases in the store.

Parker Robinson, 1521 Main Street, (941) 366-3343.

Posted: 5/17/2007 4:46:46 PM | 0 comments

Current rating: 0 (0 ratings)

Send this to a friend...

Your message (click here):

Comments

Blog post currently doesn't have any comments.

Leave comment

Name:

E-mail:

Your URL:

Comments: