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29 MBiz May 2014 E A S T E R N EASTERN BEAUSEJOUR & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BLUE WATER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CHAMBRE DE COMMERCE DE SAINT-PIERRE-JOLYS FALCON - WEST HAWK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE GRUNTHAL & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LAC DU BONNET & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LANDMARK & AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NIVERVILLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PINAWA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ST. MALO & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE STEINBACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE >> Canadian Gold Beverages earned a gold medal for its sparkling mineral water at the 24th annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Competiton in Berkeley Springs, W.Va., in February. The Marchand company owned by Peter Dejong also won awards at the competition in 2013, for best bottled water and best sparkling water. >> Steinbach's Fairway Ford has won a Ford Canada President's Award. The awards go to elite dealerships across the country, and the 2013 winners were announced in March. Last fall, owner Ron Loeppky and his team also received a Community Involvement Award from the Steinbach Chamber of Commerce. >> After picking up a 2013 MBiz Award last fall for outstanding large business, HyLife Ltd. added to its trophy case in March, when the company received a Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) Award, presented at a gala dinner at the RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg. The CME award recognizes companies that show excellence in expanding geographic markets, growth and sustained export sales. Recipients also demonstrate good corporate citizenship and contribute to employment growth. NEW & NOTEWORTHY T he owners of a Steinbach furniture store have come up with a novel way to add value to their products, pumping up their bottom line and boosting customer satisfaction in the process. Furniture Plus owners Dennis and Lisa Loeppky offer home staging services, using furnishings from their store to spruce up homes one room at a time. "If you want to create rooms that rock for a small investment in time and money, you really should consider home staging," says Lisa, an interior decorator and property stylist who left a career as a dental hygienist to launch the enterprise. She says staging is an excellent way to sell a home that's not attracting buyers. "I recently sold a condo that had languished on the market for over a year. It sold within three days of me staging it with products from our store." The only proviso is that homes must be occupant- free because furniture, artwork and other merchandise used for staging must be returned in pristine condition. Lisa's work for commercial builders has helped to win gold, bronze and honourable mention awards for show homes featured in the Manitoba Home Builders' Assoc. Parade of Homes. During the fi rst meeting with residential clients, she establishes colour preferences, what furnishings should stay and what should go, and what personal memorabilia can be restored so that it does not seem out of place. Painting spruces up any room, but it's not always necessary. "Sometimes a rearrangement of existing furnishings is all that it takes to create a fresh new look — The Power of Placement is my working motto," she says. "It creates function and fl ow to a room, making it appear larger and more inviting." Simple changes such as placing a bowl of fresh fruit or a bouquet of fl owers in the right position can have a big visual impact. One woman told her that she ended up buying a house after she was enticed by a display of fresh limes Lisa had placed on a table. But not all clients who hire her to stage their homes intend to sell them. "Many people want to update the look of their houses by investing in furnishings, art and accessories such as lighting," she says. For $80 per room, she'll create a scale fl oor plan showing where new pieces should be placed for maximum impact. For $299 per room, she'll produce a three-dimensional computer design that includes a virtual tour, highlighting the space from several angles. "I believe any person can afford to make a home more beautiful without tearing down walls and investing a lot of money in a large renovation." Dennis says the service has increased sales and heightened the profi le of Furniture Plus, which has seen substantial growth since he bought an existing store in 1988. "The original building was 8,000 square feet and featured some garish pink furniture that was in dubious taste even back then," he chuckles. The showroom has more than doubled in size to 20,000 square feet. The couple bought land behind the store and added a large storage building and parking lot, and they now have a staff of 15. They carry classic, urban and contemporary styles to appeal to as many tastes as possible, and the family-friendly atmosphere is underscored by the presence of their children, Desiree, 26, and Leighton, 24, who work full-time on the sales fl oor. Dennis says he and Lisa are strong believers in the catchy Steinbach phrase "It's worth the trip." That's why they've built a business that offers unique products and services. "We want people to come to Steinbach to shop and to leave with the feeling that it really was worth their time." A store with more: Dennis and Lisa Loeppky sell furniture and accessories at their Steinbach store, and Lisa offers home staging and interior decorating services to help customers make the most of their living spaces. Photo by David Square MBiz_spring2014.indd Sec1:29 MBiz_spring2014.indd Sec1:29 5/14/14 8:27:36 AM 5/14/14 8:27:36 AM

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