Mario Industries' Roanoke Showroom
Mario Industries announced that it has opened a wholesale showroom and sales training facility for the company’s lighting and furniture products at its 160,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Roanoke, Va. The showroom will be open year-round to accommodate the needs of key buyers and large-scale facility designers from around the world.
Louis Scutellaro, CEO of Mario Industries, says the company opened the showroom when the spring and fall High Point market no longer met the needs of their customers.
“We manufacture lines for both the retail and hospitality markets. Buyers and design firms working on large-scale projects often need custom designed lighting for new construction or renovation projects that occur throughout the year. This may not coincide with the spring or fall High Point markets,” says Scutellaro. “Offering personal tours in our on-site showroom is a better fit for our customers.”
Mario Industries often custom designs lighting for specific projects or clients, says Scutellaro, so an on-site visit to the manufacturing facility is helpful. Clients also meet the people who manage their orders, learn about online conferencing capabilities, and ask questions about the range of lighting and accent furniture in a more relaxed setting.
To introduce the new showroom to its customers, the company hosted select buyers at an open house during the fall High Point market that included a 30-minute chartered flight from Greensboro to Roanoke. Visitors were taken on a personalized tour of Mario Industries’ showroom, recently expanded manufacturing plant, and corporate offices, spending the evening at The Hotel Roanoke before returning to Greensboro the next day.
“It gave us the chance to listen to our clients’ needs and show the quality of our product in a less pressured environment,” says Scutellaro. “A designer of a 300-room hotel has more questions than can be addressed during a 15-minute showroom tour.”
Mario Industries builds a wide range of portables and lighting fixtures, including The Ernest Hemingway® licensed line of accessories and lamps, the Reliance Lamp, Passport Accent Furniture, and Lampshades by Mario, as well its sister company Finial Showcase. Founded in 1922, the company serves more than 5,000 customers worldwide. For more information, log on to www.MarioIndustries.com.