What went RIGHT with Pier 1???

By now I’m sure you have read articles about all that went wrong with Pier 1. As is typical with the media and human nature today, there is a tendency to focus on everything that is wrong with a company or situation. Good news gets harder and harder to find, but it is always there, waiting to be found and exposed. Here you will find the good news on Pier 1 and the positivity it brought to the world during its fifty-eight year run as a home retailer, from an insider who spent the last eighteen months with the brand.

1. Their history was built on being first to market with a lot of unique and fun items that couldn’t be found elsewhere in the United States. They were the first to introduce the Papasan chair that you know and love, among many other things.
2. Pier 1 brought jobs and established a large corporate anchor for the city of Ft. Worth, TX since 1966. They cultivated many local partnerships and charity work.
3. Passion, partnerships, and people were at the core of everything they did.
4. Their Christmas assortments were amazing every year creating a true destination for both customers and competitors to be inspired by.
5. Their furniture and fabric customization options were on point.
6. They were pioneers in working with a global mindset and strategy. They created strategic and valuable partnerships all over the world.
7. They are one of the few retailers that truly created an iconic and loved brand. I have heard many positive comments from customers about this brand over the years, and so many upset they are going out of business.....I don’t think this will be another forgotten retailer. One of the most common comments I have heard is “I love Pier 1!”. The winning bidder on the Pier 1 name and logo will truly be receiving a huge asset.
8. They are the only home retailer in their tier where the store associates view themselves as designers, perform their duties as such, and offer solutions to customers as if they were. You just don’t find that at the competition.
9. They have huge private followings and groups of customers who seek out their product to buy and trade from all years.
10. They were a gold mine for talented people at all levels and functions. That talent carried the organization with pride and grit among the ranks. The later years were particularly difficult, but the talent continued, and pushed every day to keep Pier 1 going.  If you come across a buyer, store manager, leader, or any other associate from Pier 1, you should find one of the hardest working, talented, and dedicated people in business.

There are many other things that went right with Pier 1 that are not included here, these are just a few that are top of mind for me as I make my exit. While there are clearly things that went wrong with Pier 1, and arguably several factors into how their story is ending, it doesn’t negate the beautiful assortments they delivered, the charities they were able to affect, the lives they touched, or the people that carried them through all fifty eight years. I am fortunate to have spent the last eighteen months of my career with them, gaining invaluable experience to carry through to my next adventure. Remember to look for the good news.

- Julie Stansell