Independent Retailer Closing Out Year Strong, Investing in Future of Company
LA HABRA, Calif., Nov. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Howard’s, Southern California’s premier independent appliance retailer, announced today a record-breaking year of increased sales, expanded audience awareness, and company growth. Among the significant advances and achievements of 2020, the company has seen a 43% sales increase and a 41% boost in new customers in several desirable demographics including the culturally diverse, new homeowners, Gen X, and Millennials. Many of the company’s accomplishments are a result of the initiatives new Howard’s President & CEO John Riddle instituted when he took over in 2019 and the company regularly outperforms top regional appliance retailers in several market categories.
“We are proud to say that in what has been a challenging year for our industry, Howard’s is not just surviving but we are thriving,” said Riddle. “Howard’s was already a well-established business when I came on board, and we worked hard to assemble a board of top advisors among the retail, consumer electronics, and logistics fields to help us put together an aggressive growth development strategy. We also added a new team of veteran marketers to our existing staff to help us build a strong online presence and grow in the digital space.”
Howard’s has made a strategic shift to investing in both high performing existing stores and new locations in growing areas. The first of these is the new Howard’s Marina Pacifica flagship store that opened along the famous Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach, California, in September. Serving as a luxury brand showroom, the location is an experience center featuring “live” kitchens, laundry displays, a coffee lounge, a designer conference area, and space for customers, designers, and trade professionals to browse room displays, observe product innovations, learn more about the latest technologies, and enjoy the highest levels of product expertise and customer service. Some of the luxury brands that have partnered with Howard’s and that display custom vignettes at the Marina Pacifica location include Monogram, Samsung, Thermador, JennAir, Dacor, and Fisher & Paykel.
In addition to these successes, Howard’s was recently recognized as a 2020 Retail Excellence Award winner by Dealerscope. The award is given annually to five companies based on their business performance and stature within the vendor community over the past year. Howard’s has also been awarded the gold in the Best Appliance Store category for the 12th time in the Beachcomber’s 19th annual Best of Long Beach awards and designated one of the top three Best Appliance Stores in the Orange County Register’s Best of Orange County 2020 awards.
“This year has brought changes in how we work with and support customers. We’re committed to ‘Get to Yes’ with customers, which means that we do everything we can to meet customers where they are,” adds Riddle. “We have implemented the technologies and services that matter to them, carefully considering where our investment dollars will make the most impact on our audiences.”
Howard’s was also recently featured on Good Day L.A.’s Tech Tuesday segment showcasing the Samsung 4K Sero TV that pairs with users’ mobile devices; the programmable LG Styler for steaming and sanitizing; Thermador’s built-in automatic coffee maker; and the Monogram hearth oven—today’s next-generation connected pizza oven. The morning television news and entertainment program airs on KTTV (channel 11) Los Angeles, in the second-largest TV market in the United States.
With the company commemorating its 75th anniversary next year, the Howard’s team continues to both build on its legacy of customer service and to grow into a future of innovation and technological development. The company looks forward to continuing to add new stores in new locations, developing new luxury partnerships, and seeking out the greatest advancements in the smart appliance and retail industry.
For more information about Howard’s, please visit howards.com.
ABOUT
HOWARD’S
Founded in 1946 when Howard Roach began repairing radios in the back of a sporting goods store in San Gabriel, California, Howard’s has grown to become Southern California’s largest and most trusted independent appliance retailer. With knowledgeable product experts, the highest levels of service, the best brands with an expansive array of products, and 12 conveniently located stores in Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside Counties, we accommodate each customer in each location for a unique shopping experience every time. Howard’s prides itself on three pillars of service: an unparalleled 60-day price match guarantee, expert customer service, and free next day delivery.
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