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Uniquely Elegant: Nathan Nichols & Company

Well dressed and sporting hip, new glasses, Nathan Nichols mannerisms and appearance match that of his store: refined, warm and welcoming with a touch of luxury.

Nathan Nichols & Company, a high-end furniture, home accessories and interior design store in Baileys Harbor, is celebrating its 10th year and was recently honored as one of America’s “50 Retail Stars” by Home Accents Today magazine.

“They said to me, ‘Do you realize how many retail stores are in the United States?’ That’s quite a feat,” says 63-year-old Nichols, sitting in one of the designer chairs with feather-stuffed cushions that have been so popular this year.

The “Retail Stars” award honors independent retailers for elements like creative merchandising, community involvement, out-of-the-box business ideas and, especially in this economy, innovative “survival” strategies.

Susan Dickenson, retail editor for Home Accents Today, said in an email, “Nathan Nichols & Company was one of my personal favorites this year. His website, storefront and shop interior are all consistent in projecting a lifestyle of restrained, yet comfortable, elegance.”

Nichols’ history in the business is impressive. Originally from New Hampshire, Nichols’ father and grandfather both manufactured furniture. He entered the retail world and managed a couple of stores before moving to the Midwest, where his parents were living in Sheboygan.

“I took a job in Appleton for Drexel Heritage Gallery. I stayed there six months and left to open my own buying and display services for stores,” Nichols says.

He worked with Betty Johnson Interiors, Kohler and Ethan Allen, and soon he was offered an opportunity designing outlet stores for Baker Furniture.

“It got so that I was working for Baker full time for seven years, traveling all over the country doing stores, maintaining them after they opened. All the outlet stores were so lucrative. Everything changed within a week. I would go and refurbish the whole floor,” Nichols says.

After 9/11, Nichols began to tire of traveling. He was in a Kohler store chatting about opening a shop as part of the Baker stores.

Nichols says, “This guy said to me, ‘Oh no, you’re not. They need a high-end furniture store in Door County. There isn’t any such thing. I know the perfect building.’”

The man sent Nichols the listing. Shortly after that, he looked at the building, loved it, and bought it.

“I opened it as a Milling Road Baker Store. It was the only freestanding Milling Road store in the country…The first year I did very well, the next year a little better, the third year I bought the building next door and expanded. I completely redid the building and made it look like it would have at the turn of the century,” Nichols says.

The store filled a niche in Door County, and Nichols continues to impress with his eye for interior design, extensive vendor list, and the caliber of furniture and home accessories that he sells.

“Many shop owners tell us their business represents a combination of their years of industry experience, retail background and/or interior design expertise,” Dickenson said. “Nathan may be one of the best examples of this to date. Nathan Nichols’ suppliers are some of the finest furniture, accessories, rugs and linen manufacturers in the business, and he knows how to bring them all together.”

Nathan Nichols & Company attracts a variety of customers. Some buy home accessories, a painting, a single piece of antique furniture. Others are looking to refurbish a room.

Nichols also re-merchandises the store each year – including paint and architectural elements – to better incorporate new designs and trends. In April he receives all the stock. They open in May, and in August they start selling off the floor (before that the furniture is used as a model to order). In November, Nichols starts a sale to clearance everything until Christmas, starting over with brand new products the following year.

“I try very hard to buy one-of-a-kind things,” Nichols says. “I rarely buy the same thing twice. I also try to have a cross-section for price. People come to Door County looking for good, quality things. I have a unique thing here, and I hope we can keep Baileys Harbor moving towards high end business and restaurants.”

Nathan Nichols & Company, open daily from 10 am – 5 pm, 10 am – 3 pm on Sundays, or by appointment, is located on Highway 57 in downtown Baileys Harbor. For more information call 920.839.9779 or visit http://www.nathan-nichols.com.

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