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  • Miriam Fannie and Elizabeth Flanders Pitts enjoy their new work spaces, which has made each of their jobs at Distinctive Decor easier. Rebeka Rutledge/The Duncan Banner

    Miriam Fannie and Elizabeth Flanders Pitts enjoy their new work spaces, which has made each of their jobs at Distinctive Decor easier.
July 15, 2012

Business finds Main Street perfect blend for expansion

Rebeka Rutledge The Duncan Banner

DUNCAN — Part of having a successful business is growth, which often leaves owners with two options: expand or move. While moving is often the easier of the two, it is also the more emotional.

Marcus and Leigh McEntire recently faced such a decision with Distinctive Decor, a business they began in 1999. What began as an online store, gained a storefront five years ago on Duncan’s Main St.

With Distinctive Decor’s ever growing customer list, not only locally but across the world, their inventory kept growing as well. The warehouse was at its bursting point and they needed somewhere to expand and fast.

“We knew we would have to think about moving,” said Marcus. “Through Main Street Duncan, we asked the couple next door if they were ready to sell and they were.”

Grabbing the opportunity, the McEntire’s bought the space just west of them, which was previously an antique store, with the plan to turn it into their warehouse.

Expanding from 8,000 square feet to about 17,000 square feet has already made an extreme difference.

“A lot of obstacles have been removed with the new warehouse,” said Elizabeth Flanders Pitts, one of Distinctive Decor’s employees. “We’re also getting to stay on Main St. and in the middle of town.”

Pitts, as well as several other employees, expressed their happiness over their improved working spaces. Also, when the holiday season hits, the frantic long hours of work of the past will be no more.

“We had to have this space because we could not have another Christmas with it that packed,” said Marcus.

With wider aisles and more room to sort, it is easier to pull online orders. Much like a library, each item has a pick location that is entered into a computer system. Once an order is made, it gives the warehouse location of each item.

“We tried to keep the order the same as what it was,” said Pitts. “It has evolved into an organized system.”

Having the addition of the new warehouse not only relieved those who work in there such as those who pull and pack orders, but other departments as well. They were able to separate the call center completely, which helps block out noise and lets customer service better serve customers.

For Amanda Cole, who gets in new orders and sets them up for either warehouse or in the store front, she has a much larger area to do her job. She will be kept busy because with the new warehouse, the old one will be made a storefront expansion for more room and more items.

“We hope to have it finished by September,” Marcus said.

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