Wasatch Furniture & Design

www.wasatchfurniture.com

Salt Lake City

Founded: 2015

Privately owned

Employees: 10

Industry: Consumer & Lifestyle

Products: Furniture

Owner Gregg McConaughey aims to meld craftsmanship and affordability in his custom furnishings.

A craftsman for most of his life, McConaughey built retail displays for big national brands like Ugg before deciding he wanted to do something different. After striking out on his own, he's grown his own company and says he hopes to establish a legacy where he is able to serve the people of Utah the way he believes they should be served.

Wasatch Furniture & Design manufactures custom wood furniture for the everyday consumer, or what McConaughey would classify as the "normal" person. His team is his family, and he's quick to share that building Wasatch Furniture & Design "has never been just me." He sees the company as an opportunity to build beautiful things for people's lives, homes, and businesses.

"Gregg is filling a niche," adds Alyssa Gardner, the company's project manager. "He realized consumers were not getting what they really wanted: high-end furniture at an affordable price. We offer that."

The operation builds all of its furniture from scratch. Wood is sourced from all over the world, but Wasatch Furniture & Design works with local companies whenever possible.

"We are a Utah company," Gardner says. "And so we try to help each other. We source our glass, paint, and other necessities from local businesses. And they do a great job. We can count on local companies to get it right and get it to us quickly."

The business is also committed to serving commercial and residential customers equally. That means staying flexible as the work orders come in. "Right now, we are seeing a high demand for shelves and cabinetry," Gardner says. "For the home, we are seeing orders for tables and chairs, and not just traditional pieces -- extra-large tables that can seat 30 people, more color, and more variation in stains and finishes."

Challenges: Competing against big-box stores. "We are going against large companies with million-dollar budgets," Gardner says. "We need to find a way to form a bigger presence in the market and have people understand what we do."

Opportunities: More custom furniture in more places. Wasatch Furniture & Design is moving beyond the Wasatch Front and into neighboring states. "The more we reach out, the more people will know who we are and what we can do," Gardner says.

Needs: A greater number of customers walking through the door. Once they are in the store, Gardner believes the company will have a customer for life. "Our quality is unmatched by anyone else in our market," she says.