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Thread: Louis Shanks Retirement Sale in Houston

  1. #1
    BevoGal Guest

    Default Louis Shanks Retirement Sale in Houston

    Just received a note that, after 68 years, Louis Shanks will clear out their Fondren showroom. Now, this is a HUGE showroom and I was just there a few months ago to visit some Hancock and Moore pieces. They are known for their very high mark-up, so I'm wondering what kind of deals are to be found? This note includes an admission ticket for this Tue-Thur to get "first choice selection of over $12 million of our top quality home furnishings." Then, the sale opens to the public on Friday, 1/18/13. It's a hassle for me to drive there and drag my busy toddler in...but I am shopping for a rug for my entry and a small table for a lamp. Would you do it?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
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    Alexandria VA
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    Default Re: Louis Shanks Retirement Sale in Houston

    HA! Well, they are sure HOPING you will make the drive. Most 'Retirement' and 'Going Out of Business Sales' are run by 3rd party Liquidators who buy the existing inventory from the store, jack up the prices them put 70 % off Sale Tags on them. People get caught into the buying frenzy and don't do their due diligence on shopping because they don't want to lose a piece that has this huge markdown to someone else. Truth be told, there is usually no bargain at all. Once the existing inventory is sold down, the Liquidators bring in several more truckloads of product, typically cleaning out the graveyards of manufacturers.... real bargain are few and far between. If you do go, take some photos of the H&M they have and the prices/leathers and post them here. Let's see.....!
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  3. #3
    zheng Guest

    Default Re: Louis Shanks Retirement Sale in Houston

    Ha ha, this is interesting. Louis Shanks is headquartered here in Austin, and they had the retirement sale here last year around November, sent out similar note to us. What I know is the ownership passed down to the next generation. We bought a rug for $2000 during that sale, and I believe that we didn't get the real good price and kind of regretted. Now, they are doing a buy one get one free sale, which they do every year around this time. I got a sherill occasional cocktail table and jonathan charles sofa table for $2400 total (each is priced at $23xx). and I am happy with this purchase. Yes, louis shanks do HUGE mark up on their prices, and some of them are just jokes. I once saw a plastic wall decorator put on sale for $70, and the original price is $1100. You can get good deal on them sometimes though, but had to be really patient. I once got a bar stool (design master brand) for $200, and the same stool was quoted $800+ online. but that's because they have only one left! Real deals are rare there, you can get reasonable deals during the BOGO. For H&M, they have a lot to choose from, but they have a lot of in Document! If you want to customize with them, well, their price is 40% more than Duane's.

  4. #4
    BevoGal Guest

    Default Re: Louis Shanks Retirement Sale in Houston

    I figured it would be tricky to find a deal there -- as much as I want to find one! I have found a deal there once, on my king bed, but my china cabinet and a rug I purchased there were not bargains. My little toddler is busy, busy, and would really make me pay for that trip =) Since it's about a 30 minute drive, and we are having gross weather this week, I think I'll pass. Still very tempting, as I'm in need of two matching desk chairs as well. I saw a whole room full just a couple months ago (with high prices), but I bet it would be difficult to find a matching pair.

    We do know that Duane gives a fair price -- had them price out a Sundance Sectional and it was way above what I am paying with The Keeping Room. There's no way I could talk my husband into the $$ for H&M desk chairs at this moment, HA!

  5. #5
    Daisymarie18 Guest

    Default Re: Louis Shanks Retirement Sale in Houston

    Hi everyone! I'm new to the boards, and soaking up as much info as I can on H&M and B&Y. I'm looking for a sectional, and possibly now a chair and ottoman...I got a quote from Duane last week on a few pieces and I agree his prices are VERY fair. I'm in the Houston area, so I drug the husband out to Louis Shanks this morning to check it out. I ALMOST have him convinced H&M is the way to go After sitting on both brands Ive concluded the B&Y is very nice, but the H&M are works of art! Honestly I have nothing to compare the prices that Louis Shanks was offering with, so I'm not sure if any of it was a good deal or not. It was VERY crowded, and people were buying pieces left and right with no thought whatsoever... A few of the pieces I remember were
    Settlement Sofa C2 leather ( list $10, 835) for $6,499
    Kodiak sofa in document ( list $8,525) for $3,999
    Landen Sofa not sure of leather (list $10,380) for $6,229
    Richmond Chair C2 leather ( list $5,235) for $2,259
    Ashmore Chair in Buckingham Walnut Burnished (list $7,000) for $4,199
    Abby chair in Mesquite Saddle for $2,569 (list $4,285)
    Rugby recliner C3 leather ( list $5,670) for $3,399
    And a LOT more..lots of Sundance, more sofas, chairs, etc. of course no sectionals on the floor. I was at least hoping there would be a Charter sofa or chair for me to sit in since that's the sectional I "think" I'd like. I wish they made the Kodiak in a sectional...it's soooo comfortable! I actually found a Lacross sofa at another store, and was surprised at how well it sat. It also comes as a sectional so I might have to get a quote on that one from Duane, too. I also have to figure out an ottoman for the sectional and a great chair that doesn't have too big of a footprint, but looks great from all angles...the husband loved the comfort of the Rugby recliner, and I liked the look of the Ashmore and Valencia better. I might just have to let the budget decide! We left empty handed...I would have walked out with that Ashmore Chair in-hand had it been cheaper, or the Valencia if it had been in a lighter burnished leather. Duane, I'll be emailing you for more prices soon!

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Louis Shanks Retirement Sale in Houston

    As I suspected on pricing....lol. No killer deals at all.
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  7. #7
    BevoGal Guest

    Default Re: Louis Shanks Retirement Sale in Houston

    Wow! Thanks for posting the prices after your trip - saved me the haul over there =) Can't wait to see what Duane thinks of these. When I went in last, I was hoping to see a Sundance sectional, but they did not have any on the floor. There was one regular Sundance over by the rugs, so we did get to sit on it. Did you see the regular crew of salespeople there? The one I was working with rubbed me the wrong way, so I hope not to see him again, ha! My Sundance sectional in Weston Sand is going to be ready in March or April (ordered from Duane).

  8. #8
    BevoGal Guest

    Default Re: Louis Shanks Retirement Sale in Houston

    So Duane, are those list prices just made up with whimsy, or are they anywhere close to actual list price? Drives me crazy to picture someone in the coffee room with a sharpie just having fun with price tags, lol. I have worked in sales before (art galleries), but we always had a fair system - % to the artist, % to the gallery.

  9. #9
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Louis Shanks Retirement Sale in Houston

    I'm treading on thin ice here, as I don't want a call from H&M's executives about pricing, and the first time someone walks into Shanks and says "The Keeping Room" in Virginia has better prices - then I'm going to get that call. This is why we don't quote prices in the forum as you probably know.

    List prices are a joke, but those appear to be accurate (I don't have a retail H&M price book at home as I type this, sorry). As a general rule in this industry, regardless of manufacturer, a brick and mortar store is considered aggressive in pricing when they price locally at 50 % off. So, lacking any other guidelines or due diligence shopping research, you can pretty well be assured you are getting a good price as a consumer with that $ 10,000 brand new mahogany breakfront is selling for $ 5,000. That's about as much as I can tell you in a public forum!.
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  10. #10
    zheng Guest

    Default Re: Louis Shanks Retirement Sale in Houston

    Thanks Duane for disclosing that information for us

    But in the case of Louis Shanks, that 50% thumb of rule may not work all the time because their list prices are not necessarily the MSRP. They will do markups on MSRP to make their own list price. I found out this when looked at a cocktail table which they listed as $3000, and put on sale for $1600, which is almost 50% off. I found out later online the MSRP of the table is actually $2600. So you know when you get stuff from them as 50% off, it's actually 40-45% off MSRP.

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