Room & Board

Room & Board is an American modern furniture and home furnishings retailer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

For other uses, see Room and board (disambiguation).
Room & Board store in Chelsea, New York City

John Gabbert founded Room & Board as a subsidiary of his parents' successful furniture store company (Gabberts), of which he served as president. Unlike the other stores, Room & Board specialized in stylish and modern furniture and soon spun off to become an independent company with Gabbert at the helm.[1] It presently has 964 employees and operates 16 stores in eleven states plus thirteen delivery/distribution centers around the country,[2] and has plans to open a new location in Boston, Massachusetts, in the spring of 2014.[3]

According to the company's website, 90% of Room & Board products are manufactured in America using quality U.S. and imported materials. 95% are exclusive to Room & Board. The company partners with small, family-owned companies across the country to produce its modern living, dining, bedroom, kids, office and outdoor furniture and home decor.[4] In 2018, Room & Board introduced a bath collection, including bath vanities, mirrors, lighting and bath decor.[5] Room & Board's Business Interiors division provides services for commercial spaces, including floor planning services, product suggestions, high-volume discounts, commercial interiors-approved product lists, Business Interiors product warranty, invoicing and payment terms, Project Coordinator assistance, COM customization and customized delivery options.[6]

Hoover's lists IKEA, Pier 1 Imports, and Euromarket's Crate & Barrel as competitors.[2]

Locations

Publicity

Also in August 2019, Room & Board earned a Top Score on the National Wildlife Federation and Sustainable Furnishings council's Wood Furniture Scorecard for their responsible wood sourcing policies.[7]

In February 2019, Room & Board was named a Most Innovative Company in retail by Fast Company. This honor recognized them for their commitment to sustainability, supporting American artisans and raising the bar in the minimum wage fight.[8] In August 2019, Room & Board won Best Place To Buy Furniture in a Washingtonian Magazine reader's poll.[9] Also in August 2019, Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal named Room & Board one of its 2019 Best Places to Work.[10]

In 2018, Room & Board won both Best Workplaces for Women[11] and Best Workplaces in Retail.[12]

In June 2015, Room & Board's Boston location won a Best of Boston award in the category of Best Furniture, Classic.[13] In July 2015, Room & Board's Denver location won a 2015 5280 Magazine Editor's Choice Top of the Town award in the Home Furnishings category.[14] In November 2015, Room & Board's Atlanta location won a Best of Atlanta award in the category of Best Made in the USA Home Design.[15] The Atlanta Magazine awarded Room & Board Atlanta "Best Made in the USA".[16]

The Wall Street Journal profiled Room & Board's policy giving customers a two-hour delivery window as an example of companies working to decrease wait windows and improve customer communication.[17] Interior designer Christine Edmonds recommended Room & Board for their consistent pricing on "well-built, good-value, timeless pieces that mesh with just about any décor" in Money magazine.[18]

Room & Board's products are often featured in The New York Times.[19] CBS-LA online included Room & Board in their list of Best Furniture Shops in OC in 2014.[20]

Room & Board was named one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" by Minnesota Business in 2013. The University of Virginia Darden Graduate School of Business professor Edward D. Hess profiled Room & Board's growth strategy in his book Grow to Greatness: Smart Growth for Entrepreneurial Businesses." In 2011, Internet Retailer mentioned Room & Board's online furniture shopping system in their "The Hot 100" article.

Philanthropy

Room & Board supports organizations dedicated to supporting those living with HIV/AIDS and institutions celebrating art and design.[21] In August 2012, the company joined the Minnesotans United for All Families coalition to stand against the state's amendment to ban marriage for same-sex couples.[22] Since 2002, Room & Board has sponsored a design competition for the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) to develop modern furniture design.[23] Room & Board's Urban Wood Project works with the US Forest Service to repurpose wood from vacant homes in Baltimore into pieces of modern furniture.[24]

See also

Notes
  1. Fran Howard, Why Jim Gabbert Fired Himself, Twin Cities Business, January 2007.
  2. "Room & Board, Inc". Hoover's. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
  3. "Room & Board to Open Location in Boston." (June 28, 2012). Apartment Therapy.
  4. "About Us". Room & Board. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
  5. "ROOM & BOARD INTRODUCES NEW BATH VANITY COLLECTION".
  6. "Business Interiors." Room & Board. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
  7. "The Wood Furniture Scorecard". The Wood Furniture Scorecard.
  8. "Room & Board: Most Innovative Company".
  9. "You Voted: Here Are the Results of Our Best of Washington Readers' Poll 2019". 2019-07-16.
  10. "Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal". Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.
  11. "Best Workplaces for Women™ 2018".
  12. "Best Workplaces in Retail™ 2018".
  15. "Best of Atlanta 2015: Made-in-the-USA: Room & Board". 2015-11-16.
  16. "Best of Atlanta 2018: Style & Design". 2018-12-04.
  17. Smith, Ray A. (February 29, 2012). "The Wait-Time Misery Index." Wall Street Journal
  18. Lee, Anne C. (July 22, 2011). "Best furniture deals - plus, expert picks." CNNMoney
  19. Hamilton, William L. (May 5, 2005). "Day and Night, You Are the One". The New York Times. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
  20. Lavdas, Debbie (26 August 2014). "Best Furniture Shops in OC". CBS-LA. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  21. "Birdhouse: Unleashed! Artwork Displayed for an Entire Week at Room & Board Downtown Chicago Store." PRNewsWire. Retrieved July 24, 2013.
  22. Lloyd, Katie (August 29, 2012). "Room & Board Opposes Minnesota's Marriage Amendment."
  23. "Room & Board Design Competition." MCAD. Retrieved July 24, 2013.
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