News
Brandjord opens new studio in town
Scott Wagar
12/25/2012
Susan Brandjord of Ellie Ann’s Interior Design has moved her store from Highway 5 to Main Street in the downtown business section of Bottineau. For Brandjord, the move came for two reasons.
“When I purchased Connie Long’s business the idea was always in the back of my mind we would be moving it to have a similar building and set up that I have in Rugby because that set-up has been a very good way for people to look at our product.” Brandjord said. “The idea to be on Main Street I guess is that I am a little bit of a traditional gal. I just like the idea of being on Main Street, plus I want to be able to have my warehouse under the same roof as my studio. Our warehouse is in the back of our studio with everything under one roof. So, it makes it much easier and less stressful to run the business because we can go through checking our products at leisure. The warehouse is also heated, so we if we need to check on something we don’t have to go to another building. So, it allows for an efficient processing in freight.”
Brandjord added that through her Rugby store, numerous comments have come back to her from numerous individuals, including metropolitan and local sale-reps that they like her set-up. She also stated that like her business in Rugby, she also purchased the former Ben Franklin store in Bottineau. The two stores are similar in set-up, granting her the opportunity to have both stores similar in arrangement, allowing her customers to feel more comfortable when they walk into her business.
“I wanted to have some continuity with the two places,” Brandjord said. “So, people know when they walk into the store they are with the Ellie Ann family.”
The store is approximately 4,000 square feet and Brandjord has rehabilitated the building completely. The structure sat empty for a number of years and needed work before she could open her business, which included:
- A new roof
- A new showroom floor
- A new ceiling which consists of a black tile
- New lighting
- Border trim around the ceiling, which Cleo and Char Yoder artistic sculpted by free hand
- The support columns in the showroom were designed with different tile technique from the tile products sold in the store
- A variance plasters technique on the upper portions of the showroom columns and Brandjord’s office wall, which Biln Strub did the creative work
- Anything Goes carpet in the showroom, which can be found in Grand Central Station in New York City, Disney World and other national sites in the nation
- One of two floors had to be removed from the backroom to construct the warehouse
- A loading ramp for the studio’s warehouse
- And, last but not least, a tradition in Ellie Ann’s studios, unique, antique doors within the open office space that brings a historical but modern style to the building.
This spring, the brick on the outside of the building will be stucco and new sign will replace the current sign, giving the two studios a comparable appearance.
Brandjord said that her goal was to bring a cheerful sentiment to building.
“When people come in we want them to feel comfortable,” she said. “And, the building would not look as good as it does if it wasn’t for my husband, Matt. He has done a ton of work, and if it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t have been able to keep the timeline we had.
Although the Bottineau and Rugby studios of Ellie Ann’s have similar products, the two studios do have different products. In Bottineau, there is Anderson wood flooring, HunterDouglas Alustra Collection, different laminates, and more Mannington products.
In Rugby, the studio holds Anything Goes Carpet, some Tarkett flooring and Earthwerks flooring and more of a selection of tiles.
“Between my Bottineau studio and Rugby studio I can offer people quite a selection,” Brandjord said. “And, we can bring products back and forth between the two studios.”
Brandjord’s studios are made up of top end quality products with affordable prices. She is presently working on adding a couple more companies she feels very strong about and said the companies are considered to have excellent products.
In the first part of February, Brandjord will be holding her Grand Opening for her new store, along with her annual Trends event, which will be a certified kitchen designer coming to Bottineau to speak on kitchen planning. Individuals interested in the Trends event will want to call immediately to reserve a place for the event, which normally ends up having a waiting list. Hors d’oeuvres will start at 5:30 p.m. with the Trends’ seminar beginning at 6 p.m.
Ellie Ann’s Interior Design in Bottineau is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. Individuals, who wish to contact Brandjord in her Bottineau studio, can call her at (701) 228-2728.