furniture, and has built up the supply chain knowledge of the best places in the world to source specific pieces. Shanghai is her go-to place for quality bar or counter stools, Indonesia for rattan and wicker furniture, and India for colourful pieces and furniture made from recycled wood—such as armoires constructed from doors over two hundred years old. Those are certainly not the sort of item you’d find in a big-box furniture store. “Every part of the world has things they do really well. The trick is knowing where to go to purchase or have those pieces made,” says Briggs. She also takes into consideration what her customers in PEI need for their homes, seeking advice from designers, real estate developers, and of course, listening to customers. Whilst Briggs is based out of Montreal, Wicker Emporium’s knowledgeable and friendly in-house designers are on hand to help. “They’re there to truly help clients, and help decide what works best in their living space,” says Briggs. Store manager Cedalia Brum is the driving force in PEI’s Spencer Drive location, and goes out of her way to satisfy customer needs, notifying them when a new shipment of goods has arrived from the other side of the world with an item they have been searching for. The company mantra, “go the extra mile,” is demonstrated by Briggs’s commitment to customers. On a recent buying trip to northern India, she was on the hunt for a coffee table to match a console table a customer had purchased at the This reinvigorated store has a focus on “unique” solid wood furniture at a great price point. - Stephanie Briggs
Charlottetown store. “I was taking pictures of coffee tables I’d found, and sent real- time photos to her to help her find the right one for her home,” says Briggs. “I really don’t know how many stores can offer that kind of service, and it adds a whole new dimension to the shopping experience.” There are live videos from exotic locations on YouTube that are worth checking out. Look out for them next time you’re surfing YouTube.
Wicker Emporium 43 Babineau Avenue, Charlottetown 902.370.9245 www.facebook.com/wickeremporiumSpencerDrive www.wickeremporium.ca
At Wicker Emporium PEI, it’s not just shopping, it’s a shopping experience!
FALL 2019 www.pei-living.ca
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