Home décor: A reason for the season

Each holiday season, Ace Barnes Hardware builds decoratively themed displays of home décor products from Melrose International, providing a creative Christmas-time template for discerning shoppers.

While Melrose offers wares for all seasons, the company’s festive collection of statuary, ornaments, wreathes, LED flicker candles and artificial stems and berries have been top sellers since Ace Barnes began carrying them 15 years ago.

“Melrose has a good selection of products that are good quality, and we feel like they’re at a fair price,” says co-owner Bridgett Barnes.

Melrose sales representatives assist the company in developing its holiday-themed sales displays, notes Barnes. A vintage Christmas display, for example, might mix woodsy garlands and wreathes with classic bell ornaments. Ideally, visitors will be inspired to recreate a particular theme in their homes.

“We’ll have a rounded look in that area of the store,” Barnes says. “When customers see a creative, interesting display, they can come up with ideas on how they’d use those products.”

Ace officials get their own motivation from Melrose’s showroom set pieces, replicating the set-ups in their store with assistance from a company sales rep. A wide selection of products makes it simple for both the store and its customers to fashion a comprehensive Christmas display without having to look elsewhere.

Melrose’s LED candles and metal lanterns are available year-round, while Ace is also busy selling the company’s hanging pendent lights along with its artificial peonies and hydrangeas. Quality customer service does not stop after the holidays, either, as any broken merchandise is immediately replaced or credited. Ultimately, Barnes expects to sell Melrose’s products for many seasons to come, holiday or otherwise.

“Their prices are good, so we’re always going to make a nice margin, and people appreciate the quality,” Barnes says. “We’re fortunate enough in our market that customers want something that will last. They’re looking for items that don’t have to be thrown away.”