Today we’d like to introduce you to Todd Zigelbaum.
Todd, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Town Line is truly a family business. My grandfather started the company in 1967 and ran it for 2 years before my mom took over. My brother, Gary, and I both started working at the business as teenagers and then took on the responsibility of co-managing Town Line once our mom retired in 1996. We each have sons who work at the company now.
In the past, there were 9 paint stores in Malden; however they all closed due to a combination of factors, including recessions, lack of succession plans, big box competition, internet shopping, and poor supplier decisions. We have grown by constantly upgrading our store, keeping experienced employees, maintaining state of the art equipment, and expanding our family of brands to include regional & national manufacturers. Our goal has been to evolve from a great paint store into a full service decorating center, and we’re doing that now.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There have been many obstacles, ranging from competition from big box stores, to the effects of the internet showroom phenomenon, to the unfair sales tax burden put on brick and mortar businesses versus internet retailers. The latest obstacle is the cost of health insurance and the inability of small businesses to negotiate directly with an insurer for a lower rate. When our grandfather started the business, these obstacles weren’t even on his radar.
We’ve always prided ourselves on providing great customer service, but I think some of these obstacles, especially competition from big box stores, led us to improve our service even more. Our staff is constantly expanding its knowledge, attending seminars, trainings, and conferences. We’re always up to date on the latest trends involving full spectrum paint colors, stains, wallpaper, window coverings, custom fabric projects, and home decorating. We have evolved into a full service design and decorating shop, featuring wallcoverings from around the world. That type of expertise is something that the big box stores can’t compete with. They may have more variety across the entire store, but when a customer is making a big, visible investment into their house – painting a room, installing blinds, re-decorating – we’ve found that they want the type of dedicated knowledge and unique materials that only we can provide.
Town Line Wallpaper & Paint – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Town Line Wallpaper & Paint is Malden’s third-generation, independently owned, full-service decorating center. We’re the area’s leading dealer of interior and exterior paints and stains, wallpaper, window treatments, and custom fabric projects, including headboards, windows, pillows, coverlets, and bed skirts. We’re proud to offer a level of service and specialized attention that most people think no longer exists.
We’re much more than a paint store. We have in-house and on-site interior decorating services, so we can help with all of our customers’ decorating needs, from simply choosing a paint color to fully decorating one room or your entire home. We’ll help customers navigate the thousands of design options that are available to give each room or home a unique and vibrant style that is affordable, accessible and–most importantly–reflective of them.
We carry the top brands of paints, stains, custom fabrics, and wallpapers. Our family of brands includes C2 Paint, Benjamin Moore, Fine Paints of Europe, Pratt & Lambert, California Paints, Penofin, Sikkens, Cabot, Modern Masters, Phillip Jefferies, Durallee, Robert Allen, Fabricut and many others. This broad range of selection enables our interior decorators to offer a wide range of options for giving any room or home exactly the look you want.
Town Line is also an authorized Hunter Douglas service center and master installer. We handle measurement, installation, sales, and warranty repairs for most national window blind brands, and for our own custom window treatments as well.
Companies can also sign up for Town Line Business to Business Services free to receive exclusive pricing, personalized service, and expansive selection across our family of brands.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
We define our success by the satisfaction of our customers. If a customer is happy with our products and services, and they’re able to complete their home decorating project to their liking, then we consider that interaction a success. Based on the number of repeat customers that continue to come in, I think we’ve been pretty successful over the years.
Contact Info:
- Address: 483 Broadway
Malden, MA 01906 - Website: www.townlinepaint.com
- Phone: 781-324-9255
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/townlinepaint
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/townline-wallpaper-and-paint-malden
- Other: Houzz profile: https://www.houzz.com/pro/townline-malden/town-line-wallpaper-and-paint-inc
Image Credit:
Town Line Wallpaper & Paint
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