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MARKETING MANEUVERS
INSIDE TO OUTSIDE
An interior-furniture ace makes a smooth transition to outdoor furniture.
by KIMBERLY RODGERS
photography by J&J PHOTOGRAPHY
T
odd Galler might be
somewhat new to the
casual industry, but this
interior-furniture veteran
came armed with decades of
retail knowledge when he
opened Outdoor Décor Store Inc.
(Naples, Florida) in October 2013. Galler’s experience
paid off, as the residents of Southwestern Florida welcomed his newest venture with open arms, exceeding
his first-year business projections threefold. He says, “It
was an extremely strong first year; I am happy to say
that we have been very well received.”
Galler, who has a 40-year background in interior furnishings—owning stores in Illinois and Naples—first
became exposed to the casual market years ago, through
a business associate. “A young man came to me and
asked to rent a small portion of my store in Naples to
sell patio furniture,” Galler says. “I had never really
looked at the patio side of the business that closely, but
I watched this man parlay his small space into several
other stores, and I knew there had to be something
there. That experience eventually intrigued me enough
to go into the patio business.”
After the attacks of September 11, 2001, Galler sold
all his furniture inventory, along with his
18,000–square-foot building in Naples. For the next
few years, he and his wife, Sharon, watched the changes
in the fluctuating business market (they also own a realestate company together). About three years ago, Galler
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Patio & Hearth Products Report January/February 2015
told Sharon that he wanted to get back into the interior-furniture business.
“She encouraged me really to think about it;
reminded me of the young man who did so well in
patio, years ago; and encouraged me to take a look at
that market more closely,” Galler says. On October 1,
2013, the Gallers, along with two of their five children,
Top: From left, Dan, Todd, Sharon, and Tim Galler
Bottom: The showroom is decorated as an interiorfurniture store would be
MARKETING MANEUVERS
Top and bottom: Sharon Galler is responsible for the store’s
award-winning look
opened Outdoor Décor Store. Galler is enjoying
every minute of his newest success.
The patio business “is a fun business,” he says.
“My wife and kids inspired me go into the patio
segment, and it is the best move I ever made. It is
not nearly as laborious as the interior side, in terms
of moving the merchandise—and the manufacturers are very pleasant to work with, too. It’s the best
place for me in my life, at this point.”
A FRESH APPROACH
Because of his extensive background in interiors,
Galler brought a new perspective to Outdoor
Décor Store. “We are a little bit different from
many of the other patio stores in town,” he says.
“Our showroom is elegantly decorated and looks
more like an interior-furniture store. We pay a lot of
attention to detail, as each vignette is beautifully
accessorized with place settings, art, accessories,
plants, and area rugs.”
Galler adds, “We are more of a high-fashion
showroom, and we get a lot of traffic from people
who are simply curious.” There is even a full-service
coffee bar installed in the showroom (which also
brings in prospective clients). Galler explains,
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Patio & Hearth Products Report January/February 2015
“Many folks will visit us just to have a cappuccino,
tea, latte, or espresso while listening to soft music
and gentle sounds from the many water features
throughout the showroom.”
It’s easy to understand why (in June 2014)
Outdoor Décor Store won Casual Living’s 14th
Annual Merchandising Award for Best First-time
Entry, Single Store. “I give my wife the credit for the
store’s layout, look, and design—and for why we
received the honor,” Galler says.
The mild-winter climate of Naples enables people
to use their outdoor areas quite often. Galler says,
“Many folks want their outdoor rooms to be unique,
and that is what we are.” Indeed, in addition to carrying furniture from a host of top-flight manufacturers (such as Lloyd Flanders, Ebel, Gensun Casual
Living, Hanamint, Gloster, Summer Classics, and
Woodard), Outdoor Décor Store also offers water
features, firepits, fireplaces, and outdoor kitchens.
Although there are many other casual retailers in
the Naples area, Galler comments, “Competition
never bothered me, in the furniture industry,
because I was always different.” As one of the
wealthiest cities in the United States, Naples is also
home to one of the country’s highest rates of mil-
lionaires per capita. Galler adds, “Although Naples
is generally a high-end market, we find that all people here want nice things. We strive to exceed our
clients’ expectations by providing them with quality
merchandise that fits their individual lifestyles.”
Along with great products, Galler focuses on
exemplary customer service. “We take pride in our
service. Our warehouse/delivery staff is respectful,
efficient, and accommodating. I believe if you go
that extra mile for clients, they will come back to
you and send their friends,” he says. “If a customer
has a problem with an item, we are there the next
day. We don’t let anything fester; I can honestly say
most of our clients are 100% satisfied.”
Outdoor Décor Store’s showroom has 8,300
square feet, with a small attached warehouse (a separate 5,000–square-foot warehouse is located offsite). “We open every piece of furniture in the
smaller warehouse, and we detail and inspect it
before it goes out for delivery. I personally go out
and look at every delivery to make sure it is acceptable for my customer. I want everything right
before it leaves the showroom,” Galler says.
When it comes to marketing, Galler uses
Internet search engines, but he also takes an oldschool approach to advertising. He says, “Instead of
reading their news on a computer, many of our
customers like the feel of a newspaper, so we do a
lot of full-page print advertising.”
Another important aspect of promoting the
Outdoor Décor Store brand is the company’s website (www.outdoordecorstoreinc.com). The site features a prominent photo of a teak patio set with
deep-blue cushions; the same image is carried over
on the store’s entrance signs and on all of its delivery trucks. “It’s another way of advertising: You
can’t miss our trucks when you drive down the
road,” Galler says. The company participates in
social media, making regular posts on Facebook
that let readers know about sales and that supply
links to manufacturers’ websites.
STRONG FAMILY TIES
Galler says that it has been a wonderful experience to work in the store with Sharon; his two
sons, Dan and Tim; and his brother, Greg. He says,
“I had the opportunity to work with my father during the last four years of his life, and I worked with
my two brothers for many years.”
He continues, “A lot of families can’t do it, but I
think it is just great. I have five children, so to be
able to work with two of them every day is fantastic.” Should Galler ever decide to open another
location, he adds, he would love to involve his
other children, if they are interested.