American Textiles gets new 295 showroom

By Marvin Lazaro -- Home Textiles Today, 1/7/2002 12:00:00 AM

PITTSBURGH —

American Textile Co. is already taking steps to increase its presence of February's mini-market and future markets with plans to open a new showroom, as well as an extension of its comforter cover line.

Presently located on the 16th floor of 295 Fifth Ave., American Textile has moved to the 5th Floor, room 517, of the same building.

According to Jack Ouellette, president and ceo of the company, the move came about as a result of the company's increased business and the many new products it had introduced during the last several markets.

"We're going to be close to double our original size, from 612 square feet to 1,120 square feet," Ouellette told Home Textiles Today. "The traffic in the New York showroom has been very heavy throughout the various markets, thankfully, and it got very crowded, so we needed more room."

American Textile customers will also be given some privacy, as the space includes a private conference room and a small private office where company representatives may have access to e-mail, a fax machine, as well as a phone. The new showroom will be open in time for the mini-market, but it's grand opening will be held during April's Home Textiles market.

The move was conducted during mid-December and included some reconstruction of the space. The construction was completed just prior to the Christmas holiday, Ouellette said, and the space will be in "move-in condition" by the middle of this month.

"We had three to four showrooms to choose from, and this was just the right size for us," he said.

Ouellette also announced the extension of the company's comforter cover line. Customers will now be able to choose between the company's original oxford cloth and 200-count, all-cotton line and a new 300-count sateen stripe, which reverses to a solid sateen.

Available in white, khaki, sea foam, slate, plum and ecru and in a full range of sizes, the extension will hopefully broaden the company's customer base even further, said Paul Stark, vp of sales. American Textile currently sells its products to specialty retailers and department stores.

"This is a trade up for those who want something better, and it's a value story, too, since most comforter covers retail for higher than what we're offering them at," Stark said.

Retail price points for open stock will start at $49.99 for a twin and range to $69.99 for a king.

Also available as an option to retailers will be mini-sets, which consist of the comforter cover and a sham, starting at $59.99; and a maxi-set, which consists of a comforter cover, sham and dust ruffle, starting at $79.99.