As national retailer Stein Mart is making a push to promote better home décor products in an assortment of styles and colours, it’s found a willing set of partners in Madcap Cottage and Chapter 3. The High Point-based designers and the New Houlka, Miss.-based furniture manufacturer are teaming up for a smallscale launch of exclusive accent furniture pieces that will be in Stein Mart stores nationwide beginning May 15.
The 12 SKU collections includes pieces like drink tables, ottomans, wingback chairs, swivel chairs and other items with nothing costing more than $450 at retail. Madcap Cottage’s Jason Oliver Nixon said Stein Mart President Mary Anne Morin has worked to elevate the store’s aesthetic and edit its offerings, which made the partnership an easy “yes.” “I’m looking at them like the great department stores from the past,” Nixon told. “It’s giving them special, the treasures. If you go into Stein Mart, there’s a lot of colour and pattern and it’s speaking to a consumer who’s looking for something different.”
As part of the association, Nixon and partner John Loecke will make personal appearances in Stein Mart stores to help promote the brand and give consumers ideas and more.“We’ll do in-store appearances and work with General Managers. We’ll create contests and sweepstakes,” Nixon said. “It’s things you might not think of with big box stores. That’s fun for us because we love working with consumers and we’re about building community and engagement and giving them tools to show them these great tools.” Nixon said Loecke is creating hangtags and other promotional pieces to tell the stories of Madcap Cottage and Chapter 3, which is owned by Jennifer Schock.
“John painted and sketched the drawings on those and they tell our story and the Chapter 3 story,” Nixon said. “I think our clients want storylines and being able to present that in a store with a national consumer base and footprint is really special. It’s from coast to coast, from Palm Springs to Jacksonville, Fla”.
