If you live in Midland, you would know the area’s landmark, multi-generational family-run business, Barber & Haskill, that has been helping its residents find the best in appliances and mattresses for an impressive 84 years.
Recently, the store expanded in size and received a facelift, moving into a new building next door. Their new showroom is over 8,000 square-feet, giving customers more product options and a better shopping experience, said Tom Barber, owner of Barber & Haskill. Your one-stop appliance and mattress store in Midland.
Barber said, the process of the expansion began pre-pandemic, but COVID meant their plans had to be delayed. However, business in the home goods sector thrived during the pandemic, as everyone being at home meant people wanted home-comforts like barbecues, cozy mattresses and inviting kitchens where families could gather.
As well, Barber said the combination of their team aggressively ordering stock in advance, having their own warehouse and the booming real estate market, meant their products were in demand. However, he attributes great staff and loyal customers as the reasons for their continued success.
New showroom provides customers with a more streamlined and simplified shopping experience
The goal with the new store, Barber said, is to give customers a better representation of what they carry and provide them a better shopping experience.
Their store is divided into dedicated sections for
- appliances
- mattresses
- and a BBQ Grills section to help customers simplify their shopping experience.
The mattress department has increased the most in size, features even more brands than before including Beauty Rest, Tempur-Pedic, Serta and Sealy, and is presented in a “step-by-step” process.
It begins with a “select your pillow” section where customers can try, and learn about, different types and brands of pillows. Then, in the “comfort test zone,” they can try different mattresses to determine the one best-suited to them, and finally, they can try different technologies of beds and learn about the benefits of an adjustable bed or lifestyle base.
In the past, Barber said, a customer wanting to buy a suite of appliances would have to visit different “sections” in the store, because fridges, dishwashers and stoves were displayed in different areas.
“So we were constantly running around with customers saying, ‘Okay, the fridge you like is over here, so if you could pretend this stove is beside your fridge and this is the one that matches it, and we’ll now go all the way over here for the dishwasher that matches it and this will be your three-piece package,’” Barber said.
Today, they’ve changed the set up and placed same-brand appliances, like Kitchenaid for example, all in one area. With the refrigerators, ranges, dishwashers and over-the range microwaves altogether, customers can now easily visualize what the appliances would look like in their kitchen.
“They can also tell that the handles all match and the chrome trim is the same and it all fits, so instead of running around the store trying to imagine what they all look like, we put all those things together,” he said.
Their outdoor grill section has also increased in size, has more products and accessories and is displayed in an outdoor space with an authentic feel. They offer the top brands of barbecues like Traeger, Napoleon and Webber, in the three main technologies: wood pellets, charcoal and gas. They also carry an array of accessories like sauces, spices and Chilly Moose coolers and drinkware.
The grand opening of their new showroom is April 21, and will continue until the end of May. There will be several events including a ‘Win Your Purchase’ event where 10 people will win up to $2, 000 of their purchase, barbeques, product demonstrations and sale prices for the duration.
For more information, call Barber & Haskill at 705-526-7811, contact them online, or visit their Facebook page to learn more!