Avon comes calling for more space

Second showroom to house design, marketing

By Cecile B. Corral -- Home Textiles Today, 8/20/2001 12:00:00 AM

NEW YORK —

Table linen and kitchen textile manufacturer and importer Avon Home Fashions recently signed a new lease for a second space at Home Textiles Building, 295 Fifth Ave.

The new 1,400-square-foot space, suite 1611, was the former showroom of ceramic bath accessories and tabletop goods importer Certified International Corp. Avon will use the space as a new state-of-the-art design studio and marketing office for its five-person team. The existing space at suite 1512 will continue to serve as the company's main showroom. The marketing and design offices at 1512 will soon be converted into additional showroom space, said Chris Mooney, vp, design and marketing.

"We took over the space on July 1 and are in the midst of remodeling and outfitting the space," Mooney added. "Up until this point we didn't have the ideal conditions. But now as demand for our product has increased, and we've taken on more accounts, we're doing the in-house upgrading to match the need."

Certified International moved out of the 295 building earlier this summer, after renting the space for five years, when it landed a larger showroom at 225 Fifth Ave. in suite 400.

"The new showroom is at least twice as big now as the one we had at 295," said Tim Farrell, national sales manager.

Farrell added that the company's new space is currently under renovation and is expected to be ready in October in time for the home textiles market and tabletop market.