“It just sat empty for years,” said Mr. Siegsmund, who with his wife, Lora, owns Pelora, the contemporary furniture store next door. “They just didn’t want to sell, but I would call every six months or so and ask if they were ready to sell.”
He ultimately prevailed, and earlier this month they opened a new showroom that has expanded their current store by an additional 4,000 square feet. “We had to re-plumb and rewire the entire place,” he said. “It’s been a big investment.”
With this added space they aim to appeal to modern-minded millennials as well as downsizers. The Siegsmunds also own Perlora Leather in the Strip District.
The new showroom has its own name and identity: Perlora Loft.
While furniture shopping, like so many things, is migrating online, Perlora aims to buck that trend with what Mrs. Siegsmund says is excellent service and products that shoppers can see and feel before pulling out their credit card. The store offers a free interior design service to purchasing customers.
“Perlora Loft is designed for a younger demographic with a lower price point and a modern appeal,” said Mrs. Siegsmund. The first floor of the former bookstore is filled with the EQ3 brand furniture such as the Simple Queen platform bed and the popular Arie chair with a metal base that swivels all the way around.
The second floor was once an apartment building, so the couple decided to keep the original rooms and windows that look out into the hall. “It’s so funny,” said Mrs. Siegsmund.
“We used a few rooms of the apartment to showcase how the furniture would look in an actual room,” Mr. Siegsmund added. There are several brands to look at upstairs, including Innovation, Moe’s, BDI and Stressless You by Ekornes. The display in the front room is built around the fireplace. In there you will find the double-louvered door Corridor Bar by BDI and Moe’s wall unit behind the Brady Collection sofa.
Patricia Sheridan: psheridan@post-gazette.com, 412-263-2613, Twitter: @pasheridan.
Resource :http://www.post-gazette.com/life/homes/2016/10/24/Perlora-Loft-has-furnishings-for-the-modern-millennial/stories/201610240001
