Page 94 - enLIGHTenment Magazine - January 2017
P. 94
under the radar
Cordless, rechargeable lamps are a good
solution for hotel guest rooms without a
convenient electrical outlet handy.
“We have unique in the industry. The next hurdle was how to custom product line exclusive to the trade with
meet that need economically.
partners who are willing to co-brand with us.”
every
Finding direct sources overseas for the electron- The company operates out of a small workshop
intention ic components was important to the company’s and showroom in Fort Worth and uses a third-
development as was tapping a high-end large lamp party warehouse and ful llment center nearby.
of being a factory that could handle the work. Growing the The Chinese factory that Modern Lantern deals
line by using locally made ceramics and shades has with is large enough to allow the brand to o er
household helped the Fitzwaters expand their assortment both small and large runs.
quicker and less expensively, due to lower mini- “We carry about 20 SKUs in stock, and the lead
name mums. To date, Modern Lantern o ers a variety of time is only a few days from an order received on-
in three cordless lamps with the outdoor and metal styles line to delivery anywhere in the U.S. (via FedEx),”
made overseas and the interior ceramic table Stephen explains. “We can design and develop cus-
years. We lamps made and assembled in North Texas.
tom products with our ceramic supplier with lead
While customers may nd Modern Lantern items times of 30 to 60 days for small to medium-size or-
are simply sold on Etsy and eBay, they should be rest assured ders, and we can produce virtually any design FOB
that these are not the same products o ered to the in China with lead times of at least 60 to 90 days.”
looking for trade. “Etsy is our small shop and we only use it for Where do Stephen and Carrie envision their
selling one-of-a-kind antique retro t luxury lamps company in the near future? “We have every in-
the right
when we have time; eBay is our channel for the tention of being a household name in three years,”
occasional open box and sample sales,” Stephen Stephen remarks, adding, “We are simply looking
partners.”
notes. “Our primary channel of distribution at this for the right partners. We have a very capable
time is our Web site (www.modernlantern.com) and sales rep to assist us with the trade and we also
— Stephen Fitzwater
a few online resellers, however, ideally we would rely on our factory’s backing in China for large
like to steadily grow our [Web site] business and customers. We also count on the advice of some
produce exclusive product for the hospitality mar- capable consultants [we’ve found] to help us in ar-
ket and for the right retail partners on a larger scale. eas such as legal, nancial, and mentorship within
We are de nitely open to developing a high-end
the local business community.”
92 enLIGHTenment Magazine | january 2017
www.enlightenmentmag.com