by The building is nearly triple the size of its neighboring building at 208 Jacobs Place, giving it more room to showcase an expanded line that includes its sister upholstery brands
HIGH POINT — Canadian upholstery manufacturer Decor-Rest Group has purchased the former Homelegance showroom building at 212 Jacobs Place, setting the stage for the growth with new and existing customers in a facility that is nearly three times the size of its original showroom just next door.
The company closed on the 22,000-square-foot building on May 1 and plans to move in before the fall market cycle, starting with premarket in September.
The building is just next door to its existing showroom building at 208 Jacobs Place, which it plans to keep and either use or possibly rent — but not sell — in the future.
The one-level showroom at 212 Jacobs Place is much larger that Decor-Rest’s 8,000-square-foot, two-story building, where it has shown for more than 30 years. During its first few years in that space, it rented the building from the Broyhill family, then later purchased the property.
“We loved it so much as we were renting it, and then we had the opportunity to buy it from the Broyhill family,” company President Angelo Marzilli Jr. told Home News Now. “It’s been home to us for the last 30 years. Our customers know where we are, and we’ve grown very nicely because of it.”
Following its purchase of the SuperStyle and Trendline brands in early 2022, the company’s product line has grown even further, with little additional space to showcase its Canadian-made assortment. Originally, the company planned to expand its existing showroom, but ran into logistical challenges and unforeseen expenses associated with the project.
“It went over budget real fast,” Marzilli said, noting at one point building designers suggested tearing down the building and restarting it from scratch.
While that might have made sense from a design and construction standpoint, the Marzilli family did not wish to pursue that option.
For one, the building has long been a High Point market landmark sporting a sandy-beige exterior with contrasting dark awnings sporting the Decor-Rest name. Dating back to 1930, it also has historical significance as the original headquarters for the High Point, Thomasville and Denton railroad.
“It’s got a story and it’s a beautiful boutique-looking building,” Marzilli said. “I would hate to tear it down just because I needed more space.”
Then the Homelegance building next door came on the market as that company had purchased a larger showroom in the former Zaki Oriental Rugs building at 600 S. Main St.
While not disclosing the purchase price, Marzilli said the building was the showroom solution Decor-Rest was seeking. It provides plenty of space to showcase all three brands, although much of the product sold under the Trendline and SuperStyle brands will be presented as part of expanded collections by Decor-Rest.
“This is a strategic move for us, creating an opportunity to showcase more product and providing a cohesive merchandising plan,” Marzilli said. “We can now bring all our brands together under one roof: Decor-Rest Furniture, SuperStyle and Trendline. Our expanded space will provide the opportunity to display many more product introductions, plus continuing to highlight our bestselling collections.”
After Homelegance showed in its new space on South Main Street for the first time in April, Decor-Rest actually got to use about 3,000 square feet of space in the building during the April market. It also showed some product in Space 510 of Furniture Plaza, where it plans to also have a presence.
“It was a hit,” Marzilli said of the new space next door. “Our customers liked it, and we liked it. It was comfortable, and it felt right. So it was like a test drive. We were so happy with the 3,000 feet that we pursued buying it completely. And that’s what came of fruition on May 1.”
The company is in the process of upfitting its new showroom building, which also has an adjoining parking lot that can provide much-needed parking for dealers, another key feature that made the building an attractive investment.
“This showroom will provide a unique experience for dealers,” Marzilli added, noting that the company even recently repainted its original space and the new space white, to give a consistency to the two buildings, which he described as part of the same campus, effectively creating an expanded footprint without changing other major physical aspects of the two neighboring buildings. “Our visual presentation will be both innovative and educational — showcasing our product and telling the Decor-Rest Furniture story.”
While the company plans to be open for premarket in September, it plans an official ribbon cutting during the October High Point Market at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 25. A party that continues the celebration of the new showroom is planned for 5-7 p.m. that evening.
