Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Opel.
Mark, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
While working in real estate (property management and residential building/remodeling) for close to 20 years, I was always dreaming of opening my own vintage store if the right location and timing presented itself. In November 2014, I made the leap with a business partner, my buddy, Dan Beynart, and the two of us signed a lease at 750 West Broad St, Athens, GA. The building was a gas station/truck stop dating back to the 1930s. That said, the place was a wreck. We spent six months rehabbing the building and turning it into the shop you see today.
We opened for business in March 2015. Together we grew our unknown shop into one of the best sources of quality Mid Century Modern furniture in Georgia while constantly expanding our customer base will an excellent atmosphere and top-notch customer service.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We’ve been very lucky. We have a very dedicated customer base. The biggest hurdles the shop has seen was making a transition from a partnership to sole ownership when Dan left the business in early 2019 to dedicate more time to his plumbing business and, of course, the pandemic and mandatory closing of the shop in March 2020. The closing of our physical shop made me think a little outside the box. I started doing “mystery” gifts during the stay Home orders and as the mandatory closing was lifted, I have transitioned from posted business hours to appointments only (for the meantime) with the occasional “open” days being posted in our social media.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Starlite Showroom – what should we know?
The Starlite Showroom specializes in Mid Century Modern furniture and decor. We focus on selling “home ready” vintage goods. This means we don’t sell chairs “that just need to be reupholstered” or furniture that “just needs refinishing.” Almost every piece that is sold at the shop receives some level of restoration. This could be a deep cleaning all the way to full refinishing or upholstery. We do all of this and still sell well below online prices and are even comparable to some of the Atlanta discount furniture stores like Atlanta Used Furniture while offering superior products.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Offering quality products in an environment that is stylish without being pretentious (like many other high-end dealers). My customers feel at home in my shop and know they will receive honest, sound advice on products without feeling pressured.
Contact Info:
- Address: 750 West Broad St
Athens, GA 30601 - Website: www.starliteshowroom.com
- Phone: 706-395-6465
- Email: starliteshowroom@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram/starliteshowroom
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/starliteshowroom
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