Showroom Profile

BY RAEANNE MARSH

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT SANDLER

>>> John Brooks, Inc. Scottsdale, Arizona

It's not hard to find the John Brooks, Inc. showroom at the Design Center in Scottsdale — enter off Thomas Road, look in almost any direction, and John Brooks will be in front of you. The 15,000-square-foot showroom is spread through three buildings as it continues to expand its presence at the site where it opened when it first came to Arizona seven years ago. And that square footage does not even include the landscaped spaces where John Brooks, Inc. showcases outdoor furniture.

Owners Marvin Wilkinson and Arthur Ellsworth (the showroom name is their respective middle names) established their first John Brooks showroom in Denver in 1993, where they still have a major presence at the Denver Design District. There's also a showroom in Aspen Valley, Colorado.

From frequent trips to Scottsdale's design community, Wilkinson notes, "We realized Scottsdale was an incredible market — and had a need for our showroom." He and Ellsworth took 4,000 square feet in one building at the Design Center. In that first Scottsdale showroom, John Brooks carried Bergamo, Clarence House, Berman Rosetti and Paul Ferrante. Looking to add to their initial roster of manufacturers, Wilkinson and Ellsworth took another 1,000 square feet in a nearby building just a year and a half later and eventually took over the second building's entire 5,000 square feet. The very stylized, classical collection of Rose Tarlow, Zoffany and Mulholland, among others in the second building, offered a different look from the transitional, eclectic styles of the first showroom.

John Brooks' latest expansion has enabled Wilkinson and Ellsworth to add several more manufacturers to their collection. Celebrated with a grand opening in October, they welcomed the recent opportunity to add another 6,000 square feet and take over an entire third building for manufacturers presenting a comfortable contemporary look, such as Donghia, Pollack, Fortuny and Henry Calvin. "We work with manufacturers and designers who are leaders of the industry," says Wilkinson.

John Brooks, Inc.'s new expansion allows the showroom the luxury of showcasing large-scale artwork, furniture and lighting, as well as creating more intimate vignettes.

The unifying concept behind showrooms both in Arizona and Colorado is the art of design expressed in the art of living. "The showrooms are all about lifestyle," says Wilkinson, whose background is in design. He and Ellsworth choose to represent only manufacturers whose furniture is made to order, rather than mass produced, and artwork and accessories meet the same standard.

"The art, like our furniture, is all one-of-a-kind pieces," Wilkinson explains, noting the art reflects the interest they bring as collectors. In addition to representing artists with whom Wilkinson and Ellsworth have a relationship, John Brooks works with the Bentley Gallery of Scottsdale and Phoenix to bring to a room the right piece of art. Notable artists represented at John Brooks include Ricardo Mazal, Javier Marin, Hiro Yokose and Simon Casson.

"We always incorporate art, all the way around," Wilkinson emphasizes, referring to the other elements that also contribute to the whole: lighting, backdrops and fabric as well as the furniture. "I love showing beautiful product and educating people about it. And I love working through projects with designers."

Each of the three buildings, or galleries, at John Brooks' Scottsdale showroom location focuses on a certain look: transitional and eclectic, classic, and an interpretation of contemporary. Within each, "the lines work well together," says Wilkinson, noting that, in addition to showing off the pieces, the galleries "show how you can mix it up."

The three showroom locales are set up like boutiques so that, when designers bring in their clients, the clients will feel comfortable in the intimate environment as well as be able to focus on the product in different vignette sections. "Their clients will understand the product, and the designers are able to pull fabric and put packages together," Wilkinson says. He points out that the spaces give designers a place to get away and yet still "be in a beautiful area where they can sit down [with their client] and lay out everything."

While expansion has enabled John Brooks to add manufacturers to its showroom, the criteria for choosing those manufacturers has remained the same since 1993 — they must be leaders in the industry and provide good customer service. "We used to go out and talk to manufacturers who weren't in our market; now they come to us," relates Wilkinson. However, he and Ellsworth continue their road trips to search out new lines and meet with the design community.

"I love going out on the road, showing product and getting a feel for what people are liking and not liking," Wilkinson shares. "It's important for us to interact with the designers."

Expressing equal enthusiasm for his showroom's Scottsdale location, Wilkinson points out that it is centrally situated and near downtown Scottsdale, the art galleries and the Camelback Corridor, and offers easy access for designers. Expanding in Scottsdale, John Brooks has become a huge destination for the market. And new manufacturers continue to approach them. "We're already talking about expanding more," Wilkinson shares, noting that, unless it's a small nook line, adding lines will require adding staff and space. "Expansions have not stopped at John Brooks."