design finds ▼ DESIGN, Continued from Page 22 said. “So we directed our efforts at helping the community make their homes comfortable and a place for family and friends to gather.” Through guerrilla marketing efforts and a commitment to their customer base, the couple pushed through the rough times and came out on top. “We don’t want to sell a piece of furniture and then never see our customer again,” Kathy McConnell said. “Our goal is to establish relationships with our customers and help them design the perfect space, whether it’s one room or an entire house.” “We don’t stick to just one or two companies,” she said. “I’m constantly looking for the perfect pieces and if that means one company has two pieces and another has five, then I’ll work with them.” She said they have dealers from all across the country and if something isn’t in the store, they can get it. “We work with our customers to make their rooms perfect for them,” she said. Their commitment to their customer base is working: Tuscany Fine Furnishings has received the best furniture store in Roswell award for the past four years. “We are certainly pleased with our success,” Kelle McConnell said, “especially during the tough economic times. Now we feel like we are well positioned for the next 10 years.” “Retail follows rooftops,” William O’Connor, economic development manager for the City of Milton, said. “Businesses are much like parks, they’re an amenity and we all must work together to encourage businesses to the area.” “We like to think of ourselves as a team, working together for the betterment of the North Fulton area,” Bernardi said. “Without one of the cities, the process is just not complete.” The process, she said, is a collective effort to encourage businesses and Tuscany Fine Furnishings has many elegant pieces that have garnered them best furniture store residents to move to the North Fulton area. in Roswell award for the past four years. “Each city has its niche market,” Stroud said. “For example, Roswell’s core industry is restaurants and retail.” Stroud said Roswell’s economic team works to for Alpharetta, said. “Alpharetta is a player in the office market so we work deliberately to target restaurants because the city attracts them. attract those employees to live here instead of drive here from other cities every day.” “Our community expects Roswell to have good dining,” he said. “And that good He said about 90 percent of the city’s residents leave the city daily for jobs elsewhere. dining attracts customers from all over the area, which in turn, is good for the community.” Conversely, of the 100,000 people in Alpharetta every day, 70 percent of them live Though each city has a niche, they all expressed an important element of community elsewhere. development: The people. “Therefore it is our goal to provide a community and lifestyle beneficial not only to “Ultimately it’s about the people,” Samir Abdullahi, economic development manager the people who live here but the people who work here, too,” he said. All said the trend in community growth is heading in the direction of living and shopping communities. “The new development, Avalon, in Alpharetta is a perfect example of a live and shop community,” Stroud said. “The younger professionals as well as the empty-nesters are 970 North Point Drive looking to live in a community with a social lifestyle, without having to get in the car.” Alpharetta • 770-712-3592 Each city representative said having a mix of people in different phases of their lives Inside Salon Lofts & behind Shane Company living and working in North Fulton is 7 Days a Week 10am-8pm a common goal. “We’ve already got C-level Business/Economic executives and are working toward Developers in North Fulton offering an appealing environment to the younger crowd through the city amenities, housing options and Samir Abdullah, businesses,” Stroud said. Economic Development The group said developing Manager for the City of North Fulton to appeal to both older Alpharetta and younger residents requires 678-297-6024 careful, detailed planning. sabdullahi@alpharetta.ga.us “We strive to create a lifestyle for www.alpharetta.ga.us both,” Abdullahi said. “For example, with amenities like the Verizon Courtney Bernardi, Amphitheater we have a place for all Johns Creek Advantage CEO ages to see performers of all types of 706-870-7334 music.” cbernardi@johnscreek All four cities are focusing on advantage.org bringing in more small businesses in www.JohnsCreekAdvantage.org order to keep residents from having to drive to Atlanta to shop. William F. O’Connor III, “Fifteen years ago we didn’t have Economic Development VALID 7 DAYS A WEEK • $30 VALUE VALID 7 DAYS A WEEK • $30 VALUE stores like Tuscany Fine Furnishings,” Manager for the City of Milton Scandals • Call for an appointment 770-712-3592 Scandals • Call for an appointment 770-712-3592 Stroud said. “But now the North 678-242-2534 and New clients only. Must present coupon. Not valid with any other New clients only. Must present coupon. Not valid with any other Fulton corridor has several unique 518-605-7510 offers or on prior services. No purchase necessary. Gratuity offers or on prior services. No purchase necessary. Gratuity not included. Exp. 07/31/14 not included. Exp. 07/31/14 shops and no one has to drive into the William.O’Connor@cityof city to shop anymore.” miltonga.us “We realize each of our cities can www.cityofmiltonga.us and do stand alone,” Bernardi said. With purchase of Color, Highlight, CurlUP TO 7 WITH THE PURCHASE OF “But we’re working together to create Steve Stroud, reducing Smoothout or Brazilian Blowout. A HAIRCUT AT REGULAR PRICE. a uniqueness to North Fulton County Executive Director of Roswell Inc. VALID 7 DAYS A WEEK • $40-$50 VALUE Scandals • Call for an appointment 770-712-3592 so that when people come here to steve@roswellinc.org Scandals • Call for an appointment 770-712-3592 Must present coupon. Not valid with any other offers or on prior Must present coupon. Not valid with any other offers or on prior visit or work, they leave wanting to 678.823.4004 x 1001 services. No purchase necessary. Gratuity not included. Exp. 07/31/14 services. No purchase necessary. Gratuity not included. Exp. 07/31/14 live here and hopefully, they will.” ■ www.roswellinc.org
FREE LADIES HAIRCUT!
$15 MENS HAIRCUT!
FREE HAIRCUT!
FREE FOILS!
24 | northsidewoman.com | july2014