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Business Spotlight PERSONAL PROFILE
Perry Pierce, 54
Staying Relevant
Hometown: St. Cloud
Perry Pierce builds his business by focusing on people, service, and products that aren’t disposable. it comes to vacuums. Sewing machines are so complex and sophisticated and that’s reflected in the price. We have one with a $16,000 suggested retail price. But we provide free one-on-one lessons for as long as you own the machine. We get customers out of the Twin Cities and Wisconsin. With our fabric stores, St. Cloud is a destination for sewers. They come here to buy fabric and get their machines repaired at the same time. By Gail Ivers
Business Central: Did you always plan to join the business? Perry Pierce: No. I wanted to be a media specialist/ librarian. I loved reading and library research. That industry has changed – it’s much more tech driven. It turned out OK, I’m probably more social than sitting behind a computer all day. BC: How did you end up in the business? Pierce: I always worked on and off in the store. I was in Elk River putting in a central
AT A GLANCE
Vacuum Center & Sewing Room
14 21st Avenue N St. Cloud, MN 56303-4322 (320) 252-8740
vacandsewmn.com Chamber member since 1988
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vacuum system and saw the growth of the community. I told my dad and uncle, “Elk River needs a vacuum shop.” They agreed and I opened it. One day a woman came in and asked about sewing machines. I did some research, expanded the Elk River store, added sewing machines, and hired the woman who originally asked the question. BC: Do most of your sales come from sewing machines or vacuums? Pierce: It’s about 50-50 in sales. Our commercial sales make all the difference when
BC: What’s your biggest business challenge? Pierce: Trying to stay relevant and healthy with all the online pressures for pricing. There are certain products we choose not to carry. And there are good vacuum manufacturers that still want to put out a quality product and know they can’t sell their products online or at a big box store. So we focus on service and on products that are not disposable. There are no bigger scams out there than cleaning stuff.
Business Description: Sales, repair, parts and supplies for vacuums, sewing machines, sewing classes, cleaning equipment Owner: Perry Pierce
Opened: 1971 by brothers Tom (Perry’s father) and Bob Pierce Number of Employees: 5 full-time, 4 part-time
Business Central Magazine // S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 8
Family: Wife Lori; adult daughters Miranda and Bethany
Hobbies: Golf, boating, ATV, outdoor activities, time at the cabin on Leech Lake
Education: Technical High School graduate; one year at North Dakota State University before transferring to St. Cloud State for a degree in speech communications
TIMELINE
1971
Brothers Tom and Bob Pierce open the Vacuum Center in St. Cloud.
1984
Pierce transfers from NDSU to St. Cloud State; Pierce and a friend start a janitorial business
1990
Pierce opens a second location for the Vacuum Center in Elk River and transitions out of the janitorial business
2000
A big year for Pierce! He purchases the stores from his father and uncle; hires his former business partner to manage the Elk River store; and moves the St. Cloud Vacuum Center into its current location, adding 2,500 square feet more than the previous location to accommodate sewing machine sales.
2004
The manager of the Elk River store dies in an accident. Finding a new manager is challenging.
2008
The recession drives Pierce’s decision to close the Elk River store.