“We’ve doubled each year since we’ve been in business, we’ve got over 100 employees, and we hope to be at 40 stores in the next two years,” Alexander said.
The company, named after Ponchat’s twin daughters, is currently working on opening 10 new stores. It’s newest store in Colerain in Hamilton County opened in at the end of November and a new store at the Mall at Fairfield Commons will open late this spring near the mall’s main entrance across from an upcoming Forever 21 store.
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The family just signed three leases in Indiana and working on several others that can’t be announced yet as it plans to stretch north to Columbus and south into Kentucky in the initial phases of expansion. After regional growth, it will focus on the rest of the country, Alexander said.
Property managers like Simon Property Group and Washington Prime Group, which owns the Dayton Mall and Fairfield Commons, are committing to finding new locations for the stores.
“They’ve got a national footprint that they can help us grow and we’ve kind of worked agreements with them to grow steadily but be conservative to make sure that we’re staying true to our roots and making sure we’re opening each store appropriately,” he said.
Rose and Remington will consider all destination locations and is planning to buy certain real estate as it expands. Alexander and Ponchat’s father has been in the real estate business in Warren County, sparking an entrepreneurial spirit in the rest of his family.
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"They've always talked about business over the table as young kids and just very entrepreneurial and progressive…the best gift they could give is the gift of knowledge and wisdom and how to learn to do businesses," Alexander said of his mother and father.
The company is also working to develop more of its sister brand stores that got their start aside Rose and Remington, including Burlap and Birch and Curve and Cloth, said the company’s spokeswoman Ashley Dennis. They also own Greene Country Market and Sammie and Link on Main Street in Lebanon.
Curve and Cloth is the same romantic, boho-chic style as Rose and Remington, but carries sizes XL through 3XL and Burlap and Birch carries the same luxury, affordable concept to home furnishing and decor with pictures, frames, pottery, kitchen supplies and bath products.
There are currently three Burlap and Birch stores and one Curve and Cloth. Only the Rose and Remington lease is finalized at the Fairfield Commons Mall, but Alexander said the family is in talks to add all three side-by-side at the Beavercreek shopping center.
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The Rose and Remington store will add about 10 employees in Beavercreek and could bring 25 jobs if all three stores come to fruition.
The three stores could combine to take up more than 10,000 square feet with the average Rose and Remington or Curve and Cloth store running about 3,000 square feet and Birch and Burlap occupying an average 4,500 to 5,000 square feet.
The family’s retail business started in Lebanon nearly a decade ago with Green Country Market, a modern general store and gift shop with a country focus.
Success in the expansion has come from hard work, sweat and tears, along with giving store managers flexibility to make each store its own, Alexander said. From there, they launched all the other branded stores that now adorn downtown Lebanon.
“I think it all comes back to our customer base and taking care of our customers…we’re a faith-based company so we just try to really lead by example,” Alexander said.
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As consumer shopping habits change, few retailers are expanding. But Dennis said the company is confident because of its quality customer service and revolving merchandise that create a fresh experience every time a customer visits.
“Our brands pair with women…at all stages of their life, and a common thread is that they enjoy luxury fashion at an affordable price,” she said.
In addition to the Lebanon stores, there are Birch and Burlap stores at Fields Ertel in Cincinnati and Liberty Center. Rose and Remington stores are open on Miamisburg-Centerville Road in Miami Twp., Liberty Center, Fields, Florence, Colerain and Cincinnati stores at the Kenwood Towne Centre, Hyde Park and Beechmont.
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