This story appears in the
June 2001 issue of
Entrepreneur.
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Vital Stats: Julie Gaines,
37, and David Lenovitz, 41, of New York City-based Fishs Eddy
Company: Retailer of
tabletop settings and commercial china started in 1987
2000 Sales: More than $4
million
Us vs. Them:
"Macy's knocked off our [212/New York] Skyline pattern, so
we had our own little in-house campaign-'Fishs Eddy: where
Macy's shops for ideas.' When Restoration Hardware started
expanding, we got nervous, went back to the drawing board and put
blinders on. We don't start [by] looking at what they're
doing. We immediately stop looking at what they're
doing."
Globalization: "[Thanks
to] travel guides, people visit [our stores] from all over the
world, and we ship all over the world. We're trying to expand
to San Francisco, and [expansion to] other major cities is likely.
Down the line, I could see us selling our line in other
stores." Even Macy's? "Yeah (laughter). We're not
bitter-we see it as a compliment. Plus, I think we've made a
market in the tabletop industry in our own way."
Excessive Hype: "We
don't pay much attention to [all the press we get]. It's a
nice way to get the word out, but it doesn't dictate where
we're going. We really listen to customers, and people still
want everyday stuff."
Where to Find Commercial
China: "America is so picked over right now that we
just go to our secret places in the Midwest-places that aren't
accessible by any mode of transportation other than a military jeep
. . . or at least an SUV."
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