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Today’s brick-and-mortar showrooms are faced with the challenge of staying relevant and competitive in a technology-heavy marketplace. For Omaha, Nebraska-based Kitchens & Baths by Briggs, the secret is all about remaining plumber-driven with a deep connection to the trades and its community.

A company with a history beginning back in 1906, Briggs Inc. of Omaha has put plumbers first from day one. Starting out as Briggs Pump, the company eventually dropped the "pump" from its name as it evolved to meet the needs of the tradespeople in its marketplace by stocking plumbing fixtures and finished product. Purchased in 1921 by a local family who ran the company until 2020 when two employees bought it, Briggs Inc. of Omaha remains locally owned and operated.

The showroom side originated in 1982, again, with the plumber in mind. Plumbers need to see and feel product in person. The Briggs team delivered on that need in 2008 with the opening of its first offsite showroom in Omaha. Today, there are five showrooms serving the Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas markets.

While the showrooms are expanding into new markets and engaging deeper with builders and designers, they aim to never lose sight of where they came from. "Our roots run deep in the trades, and every decision we make is grounded in the goal of serving the plumbing community with the same dedication and respect that got us here," says Showroom Manager Robyn Petersen.

The past two decades have brought double-digit growth for Kitchens & Baths by Briggs. According to Sean Gardner, president of Briggs Inc., the true history of the showroom began 29 years ago when there was an upper management switch. Randy Beets was hired to manage the overall company, and he saw value in the showroom from his tenure at distribution company U.S. Supply. When Ferguson bought U.S. Supply, a team of employees left, came to Briggs, and led the push to grow the showroom segment.

"We had one, outdated showroom at the time, in short order, he moved that location to a much larger Omaha location (home base) and then again updated it to a much larger offsite location, which is our current business model," Gardner says. "Along with that, he expanded showrooms to Grand Island, Sioux City, and Kansas City, giving us a total of five showrooms to complement sales for a booming Briggs transition. All in all, showroom sales have grown overall by double digits on average annually for the last 20 years."

Hands on help

Post-pandemic, many showrooms have adopted an appointment-heavy approach. While there are certainly perks to appointment-only service, Kitchens & Baths by Briggs finds value in remaining extremely walk-in friendly.

"We believe in being accessible and approachable. Our team takes the time to thoroughly explain our products so that customers feel informed and confident in their choices, whether they're just browsing or ready to buy," says Briana Scheef, showroom consultant in Lincoln, Nebraska.

According to Scheef, the goal is to provide a balance of expertise and ease when working with customers. "When someone walks into our showroom, I want their first impression to be that they're in knowledgeable hands and that we truly understand our products and can guide them with confidence. At the same time, I want them to feel completely comfortable and at ease, knowing they're in a welcoming, no-pressure environment where they can shop with confidence."

With product photos and data at the fingertips of consumers at all times, Kitchens & Baths by Briggs knows the experience they offer is the difference that will keep customers coming back.

"We feel we are the market leader in product knowledge and follow-up after the sale," Gardner says.

Understanding that luxury showrooms can be intimidating, the Briggs showroom team is also careful to be considerate of customers’ budgets. "It does no good to try to blow someone out of budget to get sales up. We are very considerate of the customer’s level of house and how to maximize the products that fit into that budget," Gardner adds. "For that, we get a well-satisfied customer, a return customer, and good word of mouth advertising."

A fresh perspective

With roughly 20 total showroom employees, Kitchens & Baths by Briggs is a team with a good number of new-to-the-industry consultants. "We are lucky to have a team of highly motivated design experts," Petersen says. "Each showroom has consultants with the perfect mix of design degrees, plumbing industry experience and a desire to help customers from the start of their project through the finish and beyond."

Brittany Stamer, showroom consultant in Grand Island, Nebraska, says, "As a consultant, I want to be involved from the beginning of the project until the final day of install, and forward on."

Stamer also points out that teamwork company-wide is a staple for the showroom’s success. "Customer satisfaction and business success would not be possible without the team we have created here at Briggs. We all work together to be successful, whether it’s from the showroom or the warehouse, to the inside counter sales. We have a very supportive work environment. As a single consultant showroom, if I need help on a product or in a situation, I can reach out to other Briggs showroom consultants in our different locations, and without hesitation, we all offer assistance promptly."

Long-term customers have taken note of the Briggs strong, core team of showroom consultants.

"As all showrooms may cycle through personnel, Briggs has maintained a core group of associates that lend stability and credibility to their client base," says Phil Gelpi, a 35-year customer from rep agency Meg Sales. "As a long-term customer, the staff have become a friend first and a customer second, making for a valued relationship, which is key in this world."

Gelpi adds that what separates Briggs from other showrooms is the fact that they are locally owned, know their market and demographics, focused on plumbing and lighting, avoiding appliances, and direct their efforts to the customer base that his agency concentrates on. "While some of their showrooms may not have the target customer base for our products, all are willing to be informed of and will promote when the need arises."

Equally as important as a welcoming atmosphere backed by stand-out customer service, fresh showroom displays are vital to brick-and-mortar success. Petersen says the team is constantly evaluating vignettes to see what is selling, what needs updates, and what products should be added. A key to this process is strong relationships with its vendors; a component the company’s involvement with Affiliated Distributors (AD) Decorative Brads division is the backbone of.

KOHLER, Brizo, Moen, Bain Ultra, Rohl, Riobel and Waterstone Faucets are just some of the key vendor partnerships Kitchens & Baths by Briggs nurtures by keeping displays up-to-date and driving traffic via community events.

Petersen serves on AD Decorative Brands’ product committee, and she says being involved year-round helps her and her team stay on top of product trends, maintain strong relationships, and stay creative enough to compete with the internet.

"Looking ahead, my goal for our showrooms is to continue our growth trajectory by staying ahead of the curve creatively to compete with big box and online retail," Petersen says.

At the end of the day, making the life of a plumber, builder, homeowner or designer just a little easier is the goal, according to Stamer.

"When anyone walks into our showroom, I want them to see that they have come to the right place. With our friendly welcome, and abundance of displays and samples, we are ready to begin where they want to start," she says. "I strive to have my customer feel like the plumbing & lighting were the easiest part of their consultation."