#Zgallery locations drivers#
#Zgallery locations driver#
#Zgallery locations full#

The company's approach to distribution is also seeing results on the consumer side.

#Zgallery locations full#

'We find ways to maximize our movement of goods through full truckload,' Navarrette says.

In 2014, the company had fewer than 1,000 less-than-truckload movements for the entire year. By utilizing line haul trucking, 95 percent of everything it ships is full truckload to stores. Z Gallerie has leaned on those carrier relationships to improve efficiency in its supply chain.

#Zgallery locations drivers#

'We have close partnerships with our trucking companies to ensure there's enough equipment and drivers so when we move into an area it makes sense,' Navarrette adds.

#Zgallery locations driver#

That communication and coordination has only become more important as the trucking industry faces a prolonged driver shortage that has heightened competition among retailers to secure shipments. 'What's worked well for us is building a strong relationship with a particular carrier.' 'For us, it's just continual communication,' Navarrette says.

As a national home furnishing retailer, Z Gallerie relies on a number of large and regional carriers such as Landstar and C.H. Supporting growth takes more than a new distribution facility it requires strong relationships with the carriers that move the product from the supplier to store shelves. Navarrette explains that Z Gallerie is cautious about avoiding labor-constrained markets such as the Carolinas where a new Amazon facility is expected to absorb about 500 members of the local workforce. The company wants to ensure that its new facility will have access to the large labor force needed to operate the distribution center.

The ideal facility would be a Class A leased industrial building with 200,000 square feet of space, at least 32 feet of clearance and an EFSR fire system.Д«ut Z Gallerie's needs are not limited to the physical structure. Z Gallerie is actively exploring sites in the North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia markets. Navarrette says the goal is to have a second distribution center operational by the first quarter of 2017. The study verified that Z Gallerie should open another distribution center that could support new and existing locations east of the Mississippi. Z Gallerie hired Tompkins International, a supply chain consulting firm, to help design a solution to enable the company's goals for expansion through 2019. The loss of an East Coast distribution point impacted Z Gallerie's ability to expand toward the Atlantic, and the company has been developing a strategy to resume its growth. It used to have a second distribution center located in Atlanta but downsized the facility during the Great Recession. The company has gone through periods of expansion before. The catalog has done well in its first year, he adds, and has created more interest around Z Gallerie's products. In a time when many companies are abandoning print for digital, Z Gallerie launched a print catalog in October 2014. It is even going back to more traditional media to reach more customers. Its primary markets are California, Texas and Florida, but the company sees additional growth through new stores and increased website traffic. Having already cultivated a loyal customer base, Z Gallerie is planning to expand its presence throughout the country. Popular current items include an Enzo canopy bed and a full leather Cloud Modular Sectional. 'If you shop Z Gallerie on a regular basis we're always offering something new,' Navarrette says. Z Gallerie customers have come to know the store for its range of contemporary and traditional items, colors, textures and use of mixed materials in furniture. About half of the art sold in Z Gallerie locations is still made in-house, according to Navarrette. Although the store has evolved in the past 36 years, it has kept its roots.

The store started as a poster shop, but more merchandise was added and it soon became a place where customers could furnish their home. Siblings Joe Zeiden, Carole Malfatti and Mike Zeiden opened the first Z Gallerie in 1979 in Sherman Oaks, Calif. 'In the next five years we plan to hit the 100-store mark or greater,' says Vice President of Operations Victor Navarrette. With this expansion, Z Gallerie is investing in new technologies to improve its supply chain and is exploring an East Coast distribution facility to support new stores. With 57 stores - and two more due before the end of the year - Z Gallerie still has a lot of potential for growth, especially in the Northeast.