THE CREATIVE DUO BEHIND INTERIORS MARKET IS BULLISH ON VINTAGE FURNISHINGS.
While many business owners pulled back or trimmed their operations over the last year and a half, Interiors Market owners and partners Milton Roberts and Greg Ashby have grown. In July, they expanded their Buckhead footprint, adding a 4,000-square-foot curated shop on Miami Circle to complement their 10,000-squarefoot Bennett Street market where some of Atlanta’s top designers rent booth space to showcase their wares. The pair bought the business from the previous owner, who launched it in 1992. It was a natural progression, as Roberts had been working in and learning the business for 20 years. “We do a great job of sourcing interesting pieces, so there’s always an element of surprise,” Roberts says of the ever-changing inventory. Here, we learn about how the duo is primed for continued success and how they’ve built trust with both the cadre of designers who use Interiors Market as a go-to source for decor and design-loving shoppers.
Tell us about the new location.
MR: The whole idea with the expansion at Miami Circle was to have a space where we can curate from many different sources and artists with whom we have strong relationships and put it together in a way that provides design inspiration. Showcasing in this way keeps things fresh for us, too!
When did you start working together?
GA: I came into the Interiors Market picture about five years ago. I was coming over to be helpful and revive the planters and gardens outside. When James [the previous owner] decided to retire, we were presented with the opportunity to buy Interiors Market. We spent the next three years renovating the building [on Bennett Street], removing walls, painting all surfaces white and remerchandising everything.
Did you envision yourself being in interior design and/or retail?
MR: I started working at Interiors Market when I was 20, and I thought I wanted to be an interior designer. Working there involved an angle of design that really worked for me. I found my passion in the business, learning about antiques and how to transform pieces through restoration. I love putting beautiful, quality things back into circulation.
GA: I’ve always worked in retail and hospitality. I love the art of the sale. But as a kid, my best friend’s mom was a decorator, and I loved the quirkiness of designing and transforming spaces. That curiosity remained into my adult life, and by being at Interiors Market, I found my passion, my people and myself again.
What makes Interiors Market special, both for designers and “regular” folks?
GA: I know when a client walks in if they want my help or if they want to make a round first on their own. We don’t smother, but we work hard to make their experience better and share things they may have missed.
What do you think are your biggest strengths as business owners?
MR: Knowledge about what we have is key, but my strong suit is in romancing the pieces. That translates beyond more than knowing what something is; it’s about loving what it is. It paints a complete picture. GA: I’m a good listener. I can read what
want before they may know it themselves.How has the last year changed your industry?
MR: We’ve seen an uptick in our retail traffic. We’ve also been selling a good bit more from Instagram (@interiorsmarket). With everyone wanting to redecorate, we’ve had more people coming to us to sell existing pieces, and we’ve also been sourcing more original art locally.
INTERIORS MARKET
55 Bennett St. N.W., Suite 20
Atlanta 30309
715 Miami Circle N.E., Suite 200
Atlanta 30324
404.352.0055
interiorsmarket.com
