On The Spot Q&A with Chairish Co-founder Anna Brockway
I am thrilled to share our latest On The Spot Q&A. As a woman owned and operated business, we love to highlight other female entrepreneurs and leaders. Anna Brockway is the groundbreaking Co-founder and President of Chairish, the online marketplace for vintage and fine furnishings and decor. Her story is a fascinating one – from fashion to stay at home mom to running one of the fastest growing online shopping sites for home goods. Chairish, now ten years old, has helped shape an entirely new industry. We love it and Anna! I hope you will be as inspired as I am! Read on to hear her story, why you should buy vintage and antiques, and her own most impractical vintage piece. – Sabrina
From a background in fashion to ten years as a stay at home mom, your journey to founding and running one of the fastest growing home online marketplaces for fine furnishings and antiques has not been an obvious one. How did Chairish come to be?
Our growing family required us to move three times in five years. With each move, I had beautiful designer furniture that wouldn’t fit in our new home and I also needed new pieces too. Little did I know that I was about to experience first-hand what a pain it was to buy and sell high-end furniture.
The existing options available at the time were local consignment shops which took most of the price of the sale or eBay, which didn’t help with shipping, which is the hardest part.
After ranting to my husband Gregg about it, he suggested we start a business to fix it. So we did. Right there in our dining room!
That was in 2013. Chairish now offers more than 1M curated items and is visited over 4 million design lovers monthly looking to score chic and unique finds.
Chairish was founded when online shopping for collectibles and furnishings was in its infancy. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve personally encountered in launching such a groundbreaking business?
The biggest challenge has been rapidly scaling our business. Chairish operates in a $240 billion category which, even before the pandemic, was the fastest growing US ecommerce segment. With COVID, online furniture shopping and specifically interest in vintage pieces has wildly accelerated, increasing expectations and attention on us.
Vintage and antiques have an obvious advantage as recycled, which makes them an eco-friendly option. What do you see as the other advantages to buying pre-owned furniture and decor?
Choosing vintage is definitely the smarter and more sustainable choice. Not-so-fun fact: 12 million tons of furniture are disposed of in the U.S. every year. Instead of buying newly made things and then tossing them, eco-conscious consumers consider resale first. Buying and selling gently-used, antique, or vintage furniture and decor extends the lives of well-made pieces and keeps them in circulation longer. I’m proud to say that Chairish has re-homed 600,000+ vintage, antique, and pre-owned items since 2013.
In addition to being kinder to the planet, vintage is:
1. Chic & Unique
Very few people want what I call a “McLiving Room,” where every piece is from the same catalog. We want unique, well-made pieces that infuse a home with personal style. In fact, 76% of shoppers say they like pre-owned home decor because of the individuality and uniqueness of the pieces—shoppers can achieve an eclectic look that isn’t available anywhere else. Unlike retailers offering a sea of bland, beige options, Chairish features over a million chic and unique pieces that deliver character and personal style. Bye-bye blah!
2. Good Quality
By nature, vintage is good quality. Unlike much of today’s mass-market furniture, most vintage pieces were made with longevity in mind—these are items that have stood the test of time and are ready for a second (or third) life. Vintage buyers are savvy: In a recent survey, 80% of shoppers said quality is important when choosing pre-owned furniture and home decor. Higher-quality goods stay in the circular economy longer. And, since many vintage pieces come from sellers who redecorate often, the vintage pieces offered for resale tend to be in great shape.
3. Get it Fast – Bucking The Supply Chain Snarl
Lead times in the furniture industry have always been frustratingly long, and that’s especially the case now due to ongoing COVID-induced supply chain drama. In this “need it now” world, vintage has never been more practical. By definition, Chairish’s vintage inventory is ready to ship immediately. We bring a global community of small sellers and vendors to buyers’ fingertips in the comfort of their home and without lengthy wait times, combining the convenience of local shopping with a wide selection of goods from around the world.
4. The Inflation Buster
As inflation drives up the cost of goods, the impact on the home furnishings industry has been particularly pronounced. But vintage goods aren’t subject to the same economic forces. While prices for new home furnishings skyrocket, prices of Chairish goods have remained flat. Current inflationary developments have confirmed what we’ve known for years: Buying vintage is as economical and practical as it is chic — and that’s a powerful combination.
How have interior designers helped to shape your vision?
Designers love Chairish, not only for our vast selection of expertly curated pieces, but also for how easy we make their shopping experience. We understand that every designer is unique and should receive an experience that is catered to their specific needs.
Designers are our most important customers and frequent buyers, (with great taste to boot!) so their purchases help us point to trends long before they become the hot new trend. Designer’s shopping patterns inform so much of what we do as a business.
Has founding Chairish impacted how you shop for your own home? Does cleaning maintenance influence the choices you make?
I am an all terrain shopper. Whether it’s online or in IRL — The answer is YES.
My best vintage shopping tip is simple: When you find something you love, POUNCE! There’s only one, so if you love it, don’t leave it. In most cases, small damages can be refinished and light scuff marks or gouges can be cleaned up but also add to the history and character of the piece. It;s also worth saying that twice a year all the upholstery and rugs are cleaned. And every summer while we are on holiday, a painter touches up the paint throughout the home. This keeps things fresh and spiffy.
What is the most impractical vintage piece you’ve ever bought for yourself?
I bought a smallish antique tile table top in Morocco, which I wrapped in bubble wrap and made my husband transport as a “carry on” on our flight home. He popped it in an empty overhead bin but a passenger boarding after us reported it as a possible bomb. The flight was delayed, a bomb squad arrived and I had to identify myself and prove the safety of the object in front of the entire packed plane. To apologize for the inconvenience, we bought a round of champagne after take off for all our fellow passengers. Good times!
Name something that you can’t live without that helps you stay clean and organized in your own home.
I am a huge Dyson fan, love a Mr Clean white sponge to remove wall scuffs and I have never met a drawer divider I didn’t adore.
FAST FOUR:
Biggest influence : Bunny Mellon
Secret desire: Caccio e pepe every day.
Dream home locale: Rome
Biggest home cleaning / organization pet peeve: Crumbs in the utensils drawer.
All images courtesy of Chairish.