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Meet Robin Burns of The Perfect Piece Estate Liquidators in Buford

Today we’d like to introduce you to Robin Burns.

Robin, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I received my Interior Design degree from the University of Alabama. I worked in the field and then became a 5th grade teacher in Gwinnett County for 8 years. After the birth of my second child, I decided to open a high-end furniture consignment store in Suwanee. About a year into that business, the economy tanked. A decorator client of mine in Sugarloaf CC asked me to sell all of her inventory that was staged in a spec home because it was going into foreclosure. I figured running a sale from a home was not much different than selling from a store so we went into the home, tagged and inventoried everything and opened the doors! It was a huge success and I have been doing estate sales ever since.

In 2007, I opened with an 1800 sq. ft. retail store. 3 years later, I moved into a 3,200-sq. ft. store and this past July 2016 I closed the store and opened a 9,000-sq. ft. warehouse concept that is open to the public once a month.

Over the years, the popularity of the store and the estate sales really caught on. I have a large following that comes to all of our sales as well as our monthly warehouse sales. We also have about 5.200 consignors that bring in new merchandise to the warehouse daily.

We have won Best of Gwinnett in the furniture store category 7 times and also numerous awards for #1 most viewed company in the estate sale market nationally and locally.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
For the most part it’s been smooth. I am very blessed to have an amazing family and staff behind me that keeps me going and supports me.

No business is perfect and you learn from your mistakes.  I am a very trusting person and want to think that everyone is honest. Unfortunately, I’ve learned over the years that you can trust very few people. I’ve learned to listen to my intuition.  Probably my biggest struggle was hiring a family member and then having to let them go for issues that could have cost me my business.

Obviously, financially owning your own business can be stressful and challenging. When things aren’t good, you still are responsible for paying your staff, rent, electric etc. I’ve had to use my 401k investment at times to keep my business a float as well a business loans.

Please tell us about The Perfect Piece Estate Liquidators, Inc.
The Perfect Piece Estate Liquidators, Inc. is a locally owned and operated estate sale company located in Buford, Georgia a suburb of Atlanta. We are accredited by the American Society of Estate Liquidators, Inc. and insured by American Family Insurance.

We are a full-service company providing expertise in all aspects of estate liquidation, moving and downsizing. We consistently rank in the top 5 most viewed companies in the United States as well as #1 in Georgia. We are the largest estate sale company conducting multiple sales each weekend in addition to a monthly liquidation sale at our 9,000-sq. ft. showroom. We are successful because our staff is passionate and compassionate about our clients and customers, dedicated, determined and dependable. Our sales are crucial in helping our fellow Atlanta residents easily transition into their next chapter of life whether they are downsizing to a new home, moving into a retirement community or dealing with the loss of a loved one. Our goal is to make life easier and stress free during this time. It is humbling to know that our work makes a positive difference in someone’s life.

I am most proud that through our hard work, honesty and dedication, everyone on my team has created an amazing reputation for this company which allows us to continuously help people in need. Moving/ downsizing is a very stressful time and can cause a lot of anxiety. Our clients trust us to come into their personal space and assist them through this transition time.

I think what sets us apart is that we are transparent with our clients and put their needs first. We provide documentation for ALL items sold which a lot of companies don’t provide or charge for this service. We have options for after the sale so our clients aren’t stuck with having to deal with the aftermath of the sale. We also realize that it’s not always about the money. We are in business to help people in need and provide a service to make their life easier and not every sale is going to be a showcase home!

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Because I am such a trusting person, I would listen to those loyal people around me that are a good judge of character and can sense when something isn’t right in regards to hiring people or certain situations. It would have saved me a lot of stress, grief and money!

Everything else along the way was a learning experience and you grow from your mistakes.

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Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

2 Comments

  1. Frances Miller

    June 6, 2017 at 9:20 pm

    Do you only cover Atlanta?

  2. Nancy DeBeliso

    June 7, 2017 at 6:37 pm

    Loved the interview Robin! But 87 years as a 5th grade teacher! 😀 Lol. I agree with what you said about your staff. They are all so sweet and compassionate. I can’t wait every month for the doors to open so I can continue to furnish my house with another treasure from The Perfect Piece Estate Liquidators Sale! 😀

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