MAKEOVER OF A DIFFERENT SORT

After more than 50 years of furnishing Las Vegas Valley residents' homes, the people who work at Walker Furniture have a pretty good feel for what will make their customers happy. So, when they saw changes in the styles and sizes of the pieces people were seeking and the way they were shopping for home furniture, Walker changed right along with them.

"We are fully focused on the needs of the Las Vegas market and we can react quickly to what we see," said Jack Campbell, president and chief operating officer.

In the course of a few short months, Walker remodeled its main showroom to feature more contemporary and smaller-scaled furniture, highlight its home entertainment offerings and put together a program that offers value-oriented room packages.

"We wanted to create a customer destination where they could select any scale furniture at any price point," Campbell added.

The retailer made several changes to its complex on South Martin Luther King Boulevard, including moving the Desks by Walker division to the main building and expanding its Rooms by Walker concept to its own facility. An area devoted to high-rise living was created, with several room vignettes offering a look at how to decorate in traditionally smaller spaces.

In addition, Walker created an area devoted exclusively to home entertainment, filling it with wall units and home theater seating, and added Tempur-Pedic products to its mattress gallery.

Area residents are invited to see the new additions and changes during a grand opening celebration today and Sunday. The celebration will include free pizza and soda and live entertainment from noon to 3 p.m. both days.

Additionally, the celebration includes a Dec. 1 drawing for a $25,000 furniture giveaway.

"Customers are looking for more contemporary, streamlined and fashion-forward furniture," said Bob Yando, director of merchandise.

Yando, who has been a furniture buyer for the company for many years, said consumers who move to Las Vegas don't want furniture that looks like what they had before. And with the explosion of home-decorating shows on television, they also are more design conscious.

To make the shopping experience easier, vignettes were set up to help people visualize how a particular piece or collection of furniture can be used. Located within the designated high-rise living area, the vignettes include several model dining rooms, living rooms and bedrooms.

"It gives you a better idea of how the furniture will look in your home," Campbell said.

In conjunction with the new high-rise living area, Walker teamed with Jennifer Lynn Design to help its customers create interiors that reflect their tastes and lifestyles. The independent designer is able to help people select the right furnishings to fit their homes, as well as offer services that make moving in as simple as turning the key in the lock and opening the door.

Another specialist has been hired for the mattress gallery. Campbell said the bedding expert will help customers determine what mattress is best suited to their needs or any problems they might be having.

"If you come in with a problem, you can lay on a bed for five minutes and it feels great, but it may not solve your problem," he said.

Problem-solving of a different sort was behind the expansion of the Rooms by Walker concept. Now located in the former office furniture building, the area is dedicated to value-oriented room packages, said Cathy Daniell, general manager of Walker Outlet/Rooms by Walker.

"The whole concept is to give the customer a buying decision," she said.

Packages for the living room, dining room and bedroom were put together, allowing buyers to get more pieces for less money. Although the pieces in the packages can be purchased individually, they are priced less when purchased together, she said. In addition, various size packages are offered.

For example, Daniell said customers can select a five-piece living room package that includes a sofa, love seat and three tables, or a seven-piece package that also includes two lamps.

The packages, which are priced from $899 to $2,299, are coordinated between rooms so that customers can outfit their entire home with matching styles or colors, if they so desire.