Raleigh store will sell premium furniture at bargain prices, but only once a month
Styron and Hughes Interiors, a new Raleigh retailer, will host a grand opening this month of its 10,000-square-foot showroom, featuring first-rate furnishings for frugal shoppers.
Owners Shelley Todd and Brian Bass have curated the store’s high-end selection from manufacturers and craftspeople across the country. But they plan to sell their merchandise at discount rates — sometimes thousands of dollars below MSRP.
Bargain-basement pricing on premium decor comes with a “thrilling” catch, according to Todd: Styron and Hughes will only open its doors one day each month.
“I saw this concept in Nashville where a store only opened once a month, and I thought it was so fun and exhilarating,” Todd said. “There’s only that one day each month to get in and get the deals.”
Styron and Hughes’ first frenzy will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 26 at 6702 Old Wake Forest Road, close to Capital Boulevard. Staff will serve drinks and hors d’oeuvres. On Sunday, March 27, leftover inventory will be available for purchase on the store’s website between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m.
The store’s unique retail model is much like one employed by such popular Triangle outlets as Treasure Hunt Liquidators and Gold Diggers Liquidation, which can attract hundreds of shoppers a day looking for limited-time offers.
Styron and Hughes offers a distinctly different product line from bargain-bin stores, but Todd and Bass hope it will entice similar throngs of thrifty shoppers seeking anomalous deals.
“I hope people arrive and are as excited as I am,” Todd said. “...I want it to be an event that people put on their calendars. And I know I need variety and the look and the price point to achieve that. I will make sure we have the prices for everyone.”
Her father’s death bed wish
Todd and Bass — high school sweethearts who reconnected during the pandemic — have not worked long in the furniture industry. Bass recently sold his Durham electronics store to open Styron and Hughes. Todd is a career concert promoter who spent much of her adult life in Nashville. Styron and Hughes are their mothers’ maiden names.
“But I’m from here, grew up in Morehead City,” she said. “And my dad was always here. He passed away January before last. He was 101. My dad hated that I had to travel so much for work, so before he died he said, ‘I’m going to leave you some money so you can chase your dreams.’”
Styron and Hughes’ selection reflects Todd’s lifelong passion for eclectic interior design. Most items on grand opening day will come from Atlanta, Dallas and High Point, but Todd hopes to expand her source list as the store establishes its reputation.
Besides compiling a robust selection of aesthetic furniture, Todd’s goal is to ensure all showroom pieces could work together in the same house.
“I wanted to take some of the stress out of decorating for people who worry if things will match,” she said. “I joke that its like Garanimals, those baby clothes where everything can go with everything else.”
Unique pieces, such as paintings by Chris Coleman, a former touring member of Kings of Leon, are listed at 50% of their usual resale value. Couches, consoles, coffee tables and more are 20% to 30% less than typical asking price.
“I love the way I feel when I walk into my home and I want people to be able to get the same,” Todd said. “Our motto is ‘stylish and affordable.’ I want people to feel good in their homes because they have great pieces and didn’t break the bank.”
This story was originally published March 9, 2022 at 10:46 AM with the headline "Raleigh store will sell premium furniture at bargain prices, but only once a month."
