Page 50 - Lighting Magazine September 2018

LIGHTING UP
THE WORLD
The Fellner family has the industry covered — from repping to retail.
BY HANNAH RACHEL CARROLL
No doubt about it, the lighting industry can be a family a air. Many companies have been in business for decades, continuously passing the torch to younger generations. Among those
leading the charge are the married team of Lori and Sco Fellner, a showroom manager and light- ing rep, respectively, whose children have also dedicated their lives to lighting.
The Fellners opened Light & Day in Frederick, Maryland in 2008 and became infatuated with the industry. Lori, who’s always had a air for design, discovered the showroom oor was the perfect platform for expressing her creativity. As she dove into merchandising and building vigne es, Sco was intrigued by the allure of the road and began learning the rep side of things. Despite the initial business thrills, however, times were extremely
tough. The young couple did what they could to survive as the country began to recover from the Recession.
“Luckily, I grew up knowing what it’s like to work seven days a week,” says Lori Fellner, who spent most of her youth helping her father run his greet- ing card and gi shop. “While other kids played with toys, I enjoyed rearranging the candy displays and pushing the bu ons on the register. When I was older, I helped my father whenever I could. I saw the dedication and hard work that’s needed to run a business, and the reward that comes from the blood, sweat, and tears. I’ve always known I wanted to follow in his footsteps and what it would mean.”
As the economy slowly leveled out, the business became more successful, o ering 20 major lines and a dozen designer brands. There was a geo- graphic advantage as well since the 2,600-sq.- . showroom was the only one of its kind within a 30- mile radius. When business continued to boom, Lori and Sco ’s children, Blake and Tyler, helped out in the store a er school.
“It was a special time for our family,” Sco Fell- ner recalls.
Ultimately, Blake pursued other interests a er graduating college with a dual degree in Marketing
48 enLIGHTenment Magazine | SepteMber 2018
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