A well-known family business is closing after 64 years of operation, with the owners saying they just cannot compete in the current economy.
Décor Inc. was founded in 1949 by the Martin family, and the family business has attracted generations of shoppers buying furniture for their homes.
It's had several locations, including a decades-long stint on Sherbrooke St. near Greene Ave. before moving to TMR.
But now the Martins are throwing in the towel, saying that the world has changed and many people just are not interested in their particular take on home decor.
After three years of losing money, the family has made a tough decision.
“The carpet has been pulled out from under us and we don't know how to react to it to save the enterprise,” said owner Robert Martin.
Martin said the notion of buying cheap, temporary furniture is something he cannot understand.
"We had a couple in their 40s to 50s do the tour of the store, and the husband got to the front of the store and said 'Come Cherie, we're going to go to a certain store to finish this room and if we don't like it in two years we'll throw it away,' and I just thought, ‘Wow, what is this indicative of?" Martin said.
He also said the having people come into their store to see how things look, and then go online to find similar items for less money, was having its effect.
It’s something Martin said he can’t wrap his head around.
“When you're dealing with a sweater you can fold it up put it in an envelope and send it back easily. When you're dealing with a chest of drawers, a mirror or a coffee table with a glass top it's a whole other world,” he said.
In roughly the same time period that Décor Inc. experienced its decline, Beyond the Rack, a Montreal-based online shopping company, has exploded in popularity.
“In four short years we have attracted 9.5 million members to Beyond the Rack so I think there's an indication that consumers are looking for the convenience of online shopping,” said Yona Shtern, CEO of Beyond the Rack.
Only samples are sent to the company’s warehouse in the borough of Saint-Laurent, where the company takes pictures of each item of clothing, furniture and accessories.
Photos are then posted to the web. Beyond the Rack simply acts as a conduit between manufacturers and bargain hunters.
“We bring the merchandise in, we pick, pack and ship it to our customers all over North America,” said Beyond the Rack’s Lauren Sevack.
Online shopping in the U.S. is about 14-15 per cent of retail sales. In Canada, it's only about 2 per cent -- a trend that's just starting to emerge – and the end of an era for businesses like Décor Inc.
At 88 years old, Ruth Martin started the furniture business with her late husband and has worked there ever since.
She vows to continue to work at Décor Inc. until the store closes in mid-September.
“It’s reality,” she said. “You have to face it and move on, It's one foot in front of the other, that's the way it is.”
