Third-generation owners Brian and Sarah Hoverman (left) and Sarah’s brother, Jordan Singer, in one of several live kitchen vignettes within their renovated showroom.
And a gets a new look to match
By Alan Wolf, YSN
Sarah Hoverman and Jordan Singer were blunt.
The brother and sister co-owners of Steve’s Appliances, a BrandSource member in Mounds View, Minn., acknowledged that their showroom was dated. “Right out of the ’70s,” Singer said, replete with orange carpeting, wood paneling and a drop ceiling.
The siblings bought the 68-year-old business from their dad two years ago last month, and along with Sarah’s husband, fellow principal Brian Hoverman, the owners decided it was time to put their own stamp on it.
“It was our turn to put our touches on it,” Sarah said.
Luxe Beckons
The first order of business was shifting into the high-margin and recession-resistant luxury segment. To that end, the trio turned to Whirlpool’s JennAir, BSH’s Thermador and GE’s Monogram super-premium brands to enhance their appliance assortment. But to properly spotlight the high-end additions, they would need to update the showroom and required more space.
The new owners accomplished both over the course of a year by converting their attached warehouse to sales and office space (they now lease a warehouse a couple of miles away), and totally renovating the showroom. The two-phase project, completed this past spring, spawned a 5,000-square-foot showplace with fresh flooring, walls and ceiling, and live, fully-functional kitchen vignettes to highlight the new luxe lines.
The retooled Steve’s Appliances is a very different entity than the company started by the siblings’ dad and grandad in 1956. The St. Paul-based business began as an appliance service center and only later entered the retail ring, in 1974. The company later moved to the North Central suburb of Mounds View, about 25 minutes from downtown Minneapolis, in pursuit of expansion as the Twin Cities market continued to grow.
Let the Good Times Roll
Today, the store employs a staff of 25, business is booming and “We’re having a blast,” Sarah said. The third-generation owners attribute their success to abiding by their company’s core principles of integrity, diligence and customer commitment … along with an assist from BrandSource. The dealer returned to the fold a year-and-a-half ago and hasn’t looked back, thanks to the comradery and support of fellow dealers from across the country, and a host of effective AVB marketing and operational tools, including a Series 5 ALTA website, LINQ4U and digital price tags.
“It’s a great group to be a part of,” Sarah said.
Looking ahead, the partners are about to embark on the final phase of their store remodel with a refresh of the exterior. Further down the road, Singer and the Hovermans have three children each waiting in the wings, with the oldest already pitching in after school, as Sarah and Jordan did in their teens.
“We have a fourth generation in the works,” Sarah said, which supports their long-term vision for Steve’s Appliances. “We hope to keep growing,” Singer said.
YSN publisher AVB BrandSource is the nation’s largest merchandising and marketing co-op for independent appliance, mattress, furniture and CE dealers.
