Kuhl-Linscomb - Haley Shapley

Good design serves as the basis
for this lifestyle superstore.
BY h{OLLY hIARRIhIGTOhI
Given the choice between quantity and quality, people usually want the latter but at Kuhl-Linscomb, you
don't have to choose. The design and lifestyle store in Houston is a mind-boggling 70,000 square feet spread
out over five buildings and carries everything from stationery and skincare to lighting and antiques to bedding
ar-rd
kitchenware
Lest you
-
and that barely scratches the surface.
think the store is a hodgepodge of products thrown together with no unifying theme, think again:
Owner Pam Kuhl-Linscomb carefully selects everything her namesake shop displays. "Editing of products is
very important," she says. "We put a lot of time and attention into each of them and make sure that what we're
bringing in is something that's unique."
THE RIGHT STUFF
Kuhl-Linscomb began cultivating her eye for products that sell at a young age, working in retail in high school'
graduating from college with a degree in design, and then becoming a buyer for a large department store. She
later became an interior designer, helming an award-winning firm, before she got back to her retail roots.
22
rNSroRE
www.da I lasma rketcenter.com
':jii.:,:ril.i -lrln)
_, rr .: il i
')]t)l::1.:,:
<rlsJ'r; s8urqt daal o1
.,'elols eq] ur op
a.lr.
Surq]
-,{:a.La Ul UOI}eJapISUOl OIUI Ua{e}
.lt:lr.:r,,:::, uaaq seq u8tsaP.4\orl
aes
ol sluapnls
's.(es
qruorsulT-iqn)
: l.:j,.r 1.. }ue.n Lag1,,
t:11:r.: .,'slrnpord Jo xlru aql pue aJeq
):i.ir:.i,:i. auop elerl e-tt lel{l\ 1o ldaruor aql
.ril1.:,..r.. ]3 Iool o] ]sn[ arols -rno q8norql
eurol slooqls uo.r; sdno-r8 u8rsaq,,
,{.rlsnpur aqJ ur srauor-put-dn roJ ruoo;ssel) aJIl-lear e se se,\res
arots erll tnqt ']le1 ur 'Sutstpueqrrau 1e poo8 os sI qruorsulT-lr{n)
'slueff€ eruoq pue arnlrurnJ urapou qlr.^4.
lnoq8norql dn dod osle elps ro; sanbrluy,,'a1qe
NO
i
aq] Jo aruos,, 's.(es qruorsurl .,'s8ulql aBpa-3ur11nr '8urlsa.ralur lnau
purJ osle .{aql lnq 'sarueu puerq elqezruSorar aroul ,{11ea"r daqr ruqt
serueu are sluaurlredap rno ur purJ aldoad 1eq14,, '1r la8 ol puads o1
ro lol e a^erl.(aq]:aqlaqu'uBrsap poo8 alerra:dd€ oq^r, srarrrol
alltll
e
-s11r ol JerlleJ lnq 'a8ue; la8pnq ur?uar p ol JelEf, ].usaop quorsurl
-1qn; 'a:ard pua-q8rq e s.araq] 'po1s daq] oleq 9$ .{;a,ra .rog
..'soleq aql 8ur:ea-u Surddoqs punore 3ur11:,u ara,t
aldoad pue '.tno plos aM ;spuiur rno tsol a^\ {urqt ro ureqt a111 o1 SuroF
aldoad ary, 's.(es aqs ,,'alqeuoitsanb Jo pull sp^\ U,, 1n1,,{e1d pue un;
Surqlauos :o; 3ur1oo1 ara.\\ orlm sJeruolsnr ol reluf o1 8ur1ue.n 1nq op
p1no.n .(aql ,rtoq Jo rrnsun <sol€q raqteal tFI perapro tr1luara.r qruolsur-I
-lqn) slrnpord 8ur.(nq ueq^\ slsrr a4e1 1,uop -(aqt uearu l.usaop l€qJ
pas;ads;a1ur <erols erll
-lro1ruor pue rureM slaal srrll :8ur,r.1aqs tr:aua8 lou pu€ stra(qo lensnun
'plo asn a14,, s.{us quorsul"J ,,'pa,(eldsrp a:e s8urq} aq} teq}
aql sr a:aq s8urql SullsareluI aqlJo auo,, 'sreqlo lsou arlrlun a-raqds
<]uareJJrp
,(e,n
-orule Irular e sr ]lnseJ er{J 'sere,l\ s,eJols arll .{eldsrp ol saratd anbrlut
sesn aqs '8ur,L1aqs l€uortrp€rl Jo pealsul 'raq o1 luel;odrur .(la8nq sr 8ur
-srpueqrJaru'u8rsap ;or;a1ui ut puno;8peq s.quloJsul'J-lqn) ue^IC
AVldStC
-(aql ]€qt alaq s3urq1 pu1; uer qloq
't.uop auos pue -{auou Jo lol e a^Pq eterl doqs oq.n aldoad
.,'as1a araq.,lt.(.ra^e purJ 1.uop
,(aq1 1nq
,<'uorsrf,ap poo8 u 1ou
s,tr;r.(1>prnb ]lear pu€'uorsrrap poo8 e s.1r arns aleru'1r 1e 1oo1 'ur 8ur
-3ur.rq e.r,no-( leq.'l\ lnoqe lrerus .{.ra.l eq pue rolruou ol eleq no.{ :alull
ool lue.\\ l,uop no.( 1nq qrnru ool lue.\\ l.uop no1,, s.(es qruoJsurT-lqn)J
'Iraql ut s1a,rai.,{rolua.tui
,,'.(rolua.nur q]l^{ InJerur l..ra.t aq 01 a^pq notr,,
aq] Surdaa4 sr 'a3're1 os arots e ur.,{11er:adsa'a8ualleqr 1sa83rq aql
,rf ,.llo:n;t.jff,:
asneraq araq rr a^or s-rausrsap pu' srrar*rrrv,,
auo ur II€ sl:npo.rd InJrepuo^. asaql IIp 1nd o1 se,tr eepl eq1., 'doqs dols
-auo anJl u sr.lt Surssrru sp,ll. ]eql\ ]nq 'saJols 1ea.r8 ;o 1o1 e ,rtes .{aqt
'<pueqsnq rrq r{}l^\ plro-nt aq} punor€ s1a,l.u;1 8ut;nq
'qruorsurl ueC
9e
:.:Z UIINIM
,',1lrlsr.r{ja.j::a r:\f ri jiJri.!
r_1r.-rt! !i.ll l:11i :lr-1tu; ;i:t:r
o;.I:-r;1,. !l\;s ittr-rcj!ril
.,'qllr; i-r-i,::!-i; a:'j?iri
-1r,;11
rreq} qll.tt. sreuro}snr dlaq s.rau8rsap
alrs-uo'-ro;3ur1oo1 a.r.-{aq1 1eq.n lsn(
pulJ 01 orols qloluerleq arll 8ulle8
-Ileu uI sJaddoqs pI€ u€l leq] JJEIs
trur i.il.i-i iirj. rli:.j. j.:t i-)i.j:)j alqEa8Pal'\LouI e seq Surplnq I{Jeg
ti]|ll !iil-il lijri,ir;itjoi,j., afl.\lJS dlpalqnopun sI pJIq] aql -
ir.;p
uollralas lcnpord poo8
-
uo tlrnq sr quorsurT-lqn) JI
s.ru1lrd aa.rql
arll Suleq Sursrpueqcraru pue
o.^{1 trsrrJ
suty,lolsnJ tvSdlu
,,'1a,ra1 pooB e 1e s,(e,u1e sr.f,ro1ua.Lur rno l€q1 pue lear8 s1oo1
arols eq] a;ns 3ur1eu
- erols Irelar e 3ur-teq Jo lred 3ur1p;1n1 lsoru
-(lqeqord s.]eql, 'sdes aqs ,.'eraq uorsDep poo8 u apuru I ]Eql
^{ouI
e s,1r 'slrnpo-rd aqi Sulslpu?qlrau pue slrnpord
aq1
o1 3ur1aa1 InJrepuo,,\r
aq1 Surt)alas ru,1;1,, 'lred lsaq aqt sl Sur8uer.re eql 'quorsurJ-lr{n) roJ
B Suruunr
slladse ,'(ueru q8noqtly
'Surlero8r.r,ur are arols
I1pler
Jo
's.(es qurorsuiT-lqn)
,, ,'ur s8urq]
.u.au 3ur11a8 s,(e,u,1e a;e sdn8 no.,( d11og, 'Surruaruruo: s.(er*1u a.re aldoad
asoq] uelg,, 'lleJo trsoru Sursrpueqrraur ;a.Lap alena;dde oq.tr seuo eql
aq .{eru -{aqt pue ',(1rep lgsl,r oq,n aldoad;o dno;8 e s,eraq}
gn}s rpnru
os s€q pu? lueruuorr.\ua ueqJnqns e ur paleJol sr aJols aql asneleg
's,(es aqs
'ellrl.^4. €
..<alurl aql IIE esrpuPrlfJsru -4rau IIe a^Prl a-^{ IuIq} sralllo}sn],,
roJ arer{} uaaq a,r.-{aq};r ua.\r 'stf,npo.rd 1ua:agrp ol snloJ aq} SuUq o}
IIe,{ slro^, leql f,rlre} e -.(l}ue}suor roolJ er{l seSuerr€ar qurolsurl
*dlrlr:r', I
'o^*-$&
...
..-
!:
.t
.,.
To keep thinqs fresh, Kuhl-Linscornb
rearranqes the flCIor constantly.
eustorRers think we have Ell new
merehandise all the tlme"
kitchens and closets, as well as nearly anything else they need for their
house. "When the client comes in and yodre working with them in the
beginning on their home, what we find is that you get to them early on
and they also could likely to be a candidate to buy a lot ofother things
furniture and bedding and so on," Linscomb
we have in the store
-
says.
The store's 40 employees are more than just workers - they're
empowered to help make decisions. Employees have certain vendors
they're responsible for taking care ol and ifthey see a product has sold
well and think it should be reordered, they can pul1 a report, bring it to
Kuhl-Linscomb, and together they'll discuss the plan of action.
Because the employees take ownership in their departments and are
educated on the products they're selling, they're better able to serve
those coming through their sections. "The customer respects them
because they know, 'Hey, this person knows what they're doing,' " KuhlLinscomb says.
Reps also play a
big role in the store's success, and many of those
come from Dallas Market Center. "We have so many products that when
I
have a rep
that comes in and takes care of me, I take care of them,"
Kuhl-Linscomb says. "Having as many lines as we have, they can get lost
in the shuffle, but with the reps that come in and work their areas, those
are the lines that do the best for us."
Aside from a great staff, another special touch the store has is
free gift-wrapping, with paper from France and customized ribbon.
"Customers are so excited that we wrap items; when it comes back out to
them, their eyes are just like, Are you kidding?' " Kuhl-Linscomb says.
"It's an added touch that in these times is very unexpected."
The bridal registry also gets rave reviews, as it's structured so that
the bride and groom get credit for everything purchased for them at
Kuhi-Linscomb and then are able to choose whatever they want from
throughout the store for that credit. Given the diverse supply of goods,
it's a huge hit.
''':,1r,,',1 I i:' ,,'i:':'V rl':'ilij:i.::',i. rr'l iirrl"':
"I Still gO into StOreS that get a
. ' ' little bit uppity and are not very
n,::'i-i: ilr::i.i iij," i(.i;i:i l.
1;:rr. " j'i ;,:;tl* .:r:: itrlr:l iir :i)::iril friendly and have a little bit of an
ir,-:flit'.i. ii-;i:\r
i:,r.li):.r'-i.
ia rl*i- :,r.la"l.-r. attitgde," LinSCOmb
SayS.
"Here,
ii':: rlr,!:l;;'i,'tlri Li':-i. ;r;l l.:irri :.ili"r we really emphasize friendliriiir: ':iirlii ,riri iti;ii.ii: :!lriii 'jr.:'i.i'rf ness, helpfulness and service t-it\.,]!-rj l.f:,r: rta::trrii,ttil :j.i:t !,irit :,,::: you want to gO tO a piaCe where
::f
:.'i.:i,i, i-!r;l-i,rii:i:a
26
rNSroRE
'
you're appreciated."
ls
www.da I lasma rketcenter.com