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MLB Designs is Looking Good

Reported by: Mark Clegg
Email: clegg@nbcactionnews.com
Last Update: 8/10 4:41 pm

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – MLB Designs is one of three new businesses NBC Action News is following throughout 2009. They opened in the midst of the economic downturn. With the 3^rd quarter upon us, we returned to MLB Designs on the Country Club Plaza for an update on business.

“It gets better every day. It really does,” says an excited Marie Bertholet Smith.

It's been about six months since Smith opened the doors to her new store. After 35 years as an interior designer, she spent nearly a year turning the old three-story Talbots store at 4725 Wyandotte Street into her showplace.

“The extra space is working really well,” Smith says, showing us around. “We're able to sell more furniture.”

The huge storefront location allowed Marie to bring all of her passions under one roof. There's plenty of room to display furniture. She visits markets in High Point, North Carolina, Atlanta and New York – and buys only unique, high-quality items.

MLB Designs also sells Hickory chairs, which Marie says will last forever. Her turnaround time is only about a month.

“It’s an heirloom,” she says. “You’re buying an heirloom.”

MLB Designs is also stocked with plenty of home accessories. They carry everything for the table in the dining room, to towels for the bathroom and linens for the bedroom. Marie also hand selects quite an assortment of jewelry, which she says customers buy for that perfect gift.

Since our last visit, Marie has established her design studio in the basement. There are rows and rows of samples. Whether it is the right fabric, or a complete interior design plan – she and her team promise to come up with the perfect fit for each client.

“My overall philosophy is to find something classic,” Smith says. “So if a chair is classic, or if you put classic fabric on it, it doesn't date itself.”

Design is Marie’s bread and butter, but July brought good news on the retail floor. Sales met their projections. Her next goal is to open the top floor by next month's plaza art fair. It will house art, more furniture, and more bedding and linens.

Marie says her biggest struggle has been finding the money to advertise more. She depends on word of mouth from her clients. She also sends out email blasts and a newsletter. Most recently, she launched a Facebook page.

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