A Family Business with a Fresh Facelift

There are exciting things going on in the big white building on Frederica Road!

When Matt and Miller Dart took over Pierce & Parker Interiors from Jack and Fran Pierce in 2016, they knew they had a lot to learn from her parents about running a furniture store and interior design studio. “Miller grew up at Pierce & Parker and she has a great eye for design trends, and I had some relevant consulting experience helping retail brands grow their business, but we really focused for the first few years on learning the fundamentals of this business that my in-laws created and grew so successfully for 30 plus years,” Matt recalls.

But a changing market and a global pandemic created an opportunity for growth, both in the creation of a new store focused on outdoor furniture next door and in a dramatic renovation of their existing showroom. According to Matt, “We knew that outdoor furniture was a huge growth opportunity, so we wanted to invest in more space so that we could provide the best possible experience for customers interested in outdoor living.” So after their neighbor, The Stitchery, moved down the street, they took over that space to create Pierce & Parker Outdoor.

Pierce & Parker Outdoor will feature the largest selection of premium outdoor furniture in the Southeast, with more than 4000 square feet devoted exclusively to outdoor furniture. “Outdoor living is a big consideration in most new construction around here, and we really want to inspire our customers and show them what is possible. There have been so many advances in materials, fabrics, and cushions – not to mention styling and design – over the last five years. Your outdoor living and dining spaces can really look every bit as stylish as your indoor areas.”

Pierce & Parker Outdoor will feature a large assortment of collections from Brown Jordan, Lloyd Flanders, Summer Classics, Tropitone, Seaside Casual, and more. They will also carry a wide variety of outdoor rugs, pillows, and lighting selections.

Designer Lori Harden adds, “When I started my career, outdoor furniture was all function, no design. And even then, it didn’t really hold up for long. Now, people are spending more and more time on porches and patios, and today there are so many more options for them to create really beautiful outdoor living spaces.”

Because of a slowdown in domestic manufacturing due to the pandemic, Matt discovered that it was difficult to find enough inventory to fill the showroom. It became an easy decision to temporarily move all of their existing products to the new outdoor space, freeing up the “Interiors” side for some exciting renovations. For instance, the current design center will more than double in size, with new space dedicated to rug and carpet displays, as well as even more fabrics and wallpapers. There will also be space dedicated to showcasing custom drapery options, premium linens, and more.

In addition, the upstairs area will now be opened to the store, creating an inviting loft area. One side of the loft will be a dedicated sale room. “We actually spent a lot of time and effort on creating a great place to display clearance items. We thought that it could create some excitement where we can keep things very fresh in the store and we can cycle items to the sale room so that customers can go hunting for some great deals,” Matt said.

Carson Nalley, a Junior Designer with the firm, is really excited about what happens when customers walk in the front door. “We used to have people come in and look around for us, because you couldn’t see the counter from the front door. We’ve moved some walls to change that, so hopefully it will be more inviting when you walk in!”

According to Miller Dart, this renovation and expansion is just another step in her vision of what Pierce & Parker stands for. “We want customers to be inspired when they walk in our store, and to see all the options for what their home can be: somewhere beautiful and comfortable that they love to spend time in every day. We can help them with so much of that vision, from the floor to the ceiling. And that goes for new construction, renovations, or just freshening up their existing space.”

Matt and Miller invite you to stop by Pierce & Parker at 3413 Frederica Road on St. Simons Island to see the exciting new renovations and inventory for yourself. Learn how they can help you realize your own design dreams. You can also follow Pierce & Parker on social media to see their beautiful products and completed projects and visit them online at pierceandparkerinteriors.com.