Top Showrooms: Up in Michigan
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Homeowners and contractors step up to decking in Traverse City. -
Andersen Doors and windows on display. -
About 40 percent of business is special order. -
Products and vignettes are arranged in a gallery-like setting.
The Builders FirstSource location in Traverse City does it all. It’s a classic building material center that brings expertise to a variety of home construction specialties — windows and doors, decking and flooring, siding and stair parts, to name a few.
“Essentially, we have everything you would need to build a home aside from plumbing and electrical,” said John Cook, general manager here. “We are full service lumberyard with an extensive delivery fleet.”
And and top of all that, there’s a showroom. But not just any showroom. The Builders FirstSource Design Showroom in Traverse City might be considered the ornament of the business — and maybe even the crown jewell.
Builders, remodelers and homeowners are all part of the showroom customer mix. In addition to physical displays — including windows and doors, kitchen and bath cabinets and flooring and decking — the facility includes open spaces and meeting rooms for plans to mature into projects.
The location (technically in Grawn, Mich.) has seven outside sales reps, five inside sales pros and six designers helping to bring projects to completion. Services include material take offs, flooring installs and, of course, job site deliveries.
And as evidence of a customer-focused mentality, special orders represent a big chunk of sales: about 40 percent.
And the product mix? “We’re constantly updating,” said Cook. “Our design works hard on that. And the design ideas mostly come from trade shows, vendors and just listening to customers.”
The products, displays and inspirational vignettes play off each other in a gallery-like setting of high, open ceilings; track lighting and concrete and stone tile flooring.
Learn more about Builders FirstSource at BLDR.com.
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