On Sept. 24, the retail chain, near Youngstown, will open a store at the Dayton Mall in the former Linens & Things location that closed in 2008.
A major difference in Mershad’s latest gig was he found himself needing to hire consultants for marketing, visual merchandising, human resources and information systems to get the company off the ground, instead of changing an existing company.
Mershad said the strategy calls for focusing on the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen, stocking bedding, candles, towels and linens, frames and gifts, he said.
The company also has kept its corporate staff lean with 16 people, which has helped keep prices low, he said.
A 30-year veteran of retail, Mershad has been tapped several times to lead troubled companies. In 1997, he left Proffitt’s Department Store to become president and chief executive of Elder-Beerman, then a Moraine-based department store embroiled in Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization.
The company emerged from bankruptcy under his leadership, went through an initial public offering and launched a new store format. Mershad and the company also reached an accord with shareholders who wanted senior managers to resign.
In 2001, Mershad left Elder-Beerman and joined the University of Dayton’s MBA program as an executive in residence.
In 2005, he joined Knoxville, Tenn.-based Goody’s Family Clothing as president and chief executive officer.
Last July, one of Mershad’s clients approached him with the idea of launching a housewares store. Intrigued, he agreed to pursue the project and mapped out a strategy, he said.
“We’re going to be very strategic as far as where we’re going to open stores or how many we’re going to open,” he said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7317 or ttresslar@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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