Co-founder of Rainbow Rentals to begin new store-chain venture

The first store will open Dec. 8 in Boardman.
By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR BUSINESS EXECUTIVE
BOARDMAN -- Larry Hendricks thinks booties will be a big part of his success.
As president of a new furniture store company, he won't be wearing them, but his delivery workers will. Booties over their work shoes will prevent them from tracking dirt into a customer's home, Hendricks said.
Delivery workers also will wear gloves, keep furniture inside bags until it is in the home and explain all features, he said.
It's part of a focus on customer service that Hendricks thinks will help England Custom Furniture Direct succeed not only locally, but nationally as well.
The Canfield businessman thinks his new company can achieve $100 million in annual sales, about the same as another company he co-founded -- Rainbow Rentals.
Opening first store
The journey for the new company begins Dec. 8 when he opens the first England store at 550 Boardman-Poland Road, across from Shops at Boardman Park.
Three more are to follow by February in Akron and Toledo. Plans call for 30 stores within four years.
By then, he hopes to have proven that his concept is so good that his stores will become a national model for England Inc., a Tennessee-based furniture maker. He hopes to someday set up a franchising program authorized by England so that anyone who wants to open an England store would come to him for training.
It's an ambitious plan, said Rodney England, president of England Inc.
"If it were someone other than Larry Hendricks, I'd question it. But given Larry's performance in the past, I'd say he has a good chance of success," England said.
England furniture is sold by retailers around the country, but Hendricks' stores will be the first ones built to handle England furniture exclusively. Four furniture stores operated by other owners have been converted to an all-England format, however.
Rodney England said Hendricks' plan for delivery people to use booties shows that he still has the touch for customer service that he displayed as chief operating officer of Rainbow Rentals.
"He's committed to excellence and dedicated to everything he does," England said.
Have worked together
England and Hendricks have worked together for 15 years because Rainbow Rentals, a Canfield-based rent-to-own chain, handled the Tennessee company's furniture.
Hendricks and Wayland Russell, Rainbow chief executive, founded the company in 1987 and increased the number of stores from six to 125.
Success led Rainbow to issue stock to the public in 1998. It was named as one of the best 200 small companies in the country by Forbes magazine in 1999 and 2000.
England approached Hendricks and Russell about opening the furniture chain two years ago, but the Rainbow executives passed on the opportunity.
In May, Hendricks resigned as chief operating officer of Rainbow and began planning the opening of the England chain. He retained his 10 percent ownership of Rainbow.
Hendricks said it was difficult leaving the company he helped create, but he made his decision after much reflection and prayer.
"It felt the urge to expand my territory. I feel I'm being led to do this," he said.
Hendricks said he's counting on the strength of the England brand and its delivery procedures to help his company succeed.
England guarantees that custom-made furniture will be delivered within 21 days, and furniture ordered off the sales floor will be delivered in 21 hours. Besides custom fabrics, England offers other custom touches, such as extra padding or less padding on the back of sofas.
England, which is a subsidiary of La-Z-Boy Inc., also guarantees the frames of its furniture for life and makes all of its products in New Tazewell, Tenn., where it employs 1,700 people. Sofas cost between $600 and $1,000.
Reason for location
Hendricks said he chose the location for the Boardman store because its among several other furniture retailers. He's figuring many customers visiting other stores will stop in England and be impressed by the customer service and delivery and quality guarantees.
Two of Hendricks' friends are working in management positions. Bob Haseley, who had been manager of Stambaugh Hardware and DIY stores in the area, will be regional director, overseeing operations in the first Ohio stores.
George Podolsky, who oversaw operations of 25 convenience stores for United Refining Co. of Warren, Pa., will be manager of the Boardman store.
Also joining Hendricks as partner is his cousin, Tim Aubry, who will be getting stores started in northern Virginia but eventually will locate here.
Hendricks, 46, a Toledo native, said he intends to keep the headquarters of his company in the Mahoning Valley. For now, he will work out of an office at the back of the Boardman store.
He said he's grown attached to this community through his work with Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Austintown and community programs such as Heart Reach, which serves inner-city children in Youngstown.
"My ministries are in the Valley. My friends are in the Valley. This is my home now," he said.
shilling@vindy.com