Ann Gish enters retail arena with FL location

By Andrea Lillo -- Home Textiles Today, 9/30/2002 12:00:00 AM

NEWBURY PARK, CA —

Ann Gish, the luxury manufacturer of bedding, throws and pillows, will soon open its first store on Oct. 4 at The Village of Merrick Park, a new luxury shopping center in Coral Gables, FL.

The store, spanning 2,200 square feet, is in "a great location" on the third floor, said founder Ann Gish. Placed in a corner and across from the elevator, the store is one of 14 on that level, all of which will sell home furnishings, she said. The anchor stores are Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom.

Gish had not considered opening a store, but the mall's management company approached her with an enticing offer to be the bedding resource on that floor. "I'm able to try this out without a lot of risk," she said.

The opportunity for the store also provided Gish with new challenges. "I became my own buyer and wrote my own order," she said, which gave her a new perspective on her business. The store's merchandise will include a lot of textiles accessories, she said, such as ultra suede pillows and throws, though bedding will remain the main focus. The store will have nine dressed beds.

She also conceptualized the store's look, something she is familiar with doing since she did residential design before founding her company. "The store looks like something I would do," she said. "It has a contemporary look." And because she's been active in these different creative processes, the whole experience has been very stimulating, she said.

Existing Ann Gish customers in the area will not be affected by the new store, she added, because of its location.