Smooth Sailing

So as we sail into August I'm sitting here reflecting on the past week..yikes, it really has been a crazy week for us at Circle. Crazy good that is!

What makes a week crazy you ask? Well, we've had the FLOR promo going strong, the Stressless promo driving those Ekornes fans into our stores, the Summer Sale winding down it's last week (lots of great bargains still available!), the honor of Best of Boston (thank you Boston Magazine), the dreaded tax increase on the way and last but not least, Richard, our fearless co-owner of Circle Furniture is about to embark on his first Pan-Mass ride. See what I mean - busy week!

Oh, and I forgot one more bit of business. Today's the day I have to pick the winner of our Inner Circle $250 giftcard giveaway. The Inner Circle is our email list that we send out our monthly newsletter to. You see, we would rather send an email out to those of you who want to be kept in the loop, instead of sending postcards, which obviously cost more money to mail and aren't as green - wasting all that paper...the nerve! Anyway, I can always keep you guys informed by this blog, our Queen Bee's "what's the buzz", our twitter or facebook page....but the fact is - is anyone reading this?

Ok, so here's a challenge. Whoever calls me first, not kidding, I'll give away 2 tickets to the Regattabar. Never been? It's a jazz club in the Charles Hotel. We love it there....awesome music, amazing dark-n-stormies, and great views of Harvard Square. So come on, call me....978-263-4509 x 231. That's right, I just gave out my work number...go for it. Now I'll know whether or not anyone is reading this silly blog! Happy Weekend Everyone!

A Little Bit Country? More Rock & Roll!

Well, this girl is TIRED today! A late night hanging out at the Best Of Boston party at the super cool power station venue on Harrison Ave. Yummy drinks, tasty appetizers on a stick, funky people...definitely a recipe for a good time.

BUT THIS YEAR.....a little twist to our night. So there we were, the Circle gang, sipping pomegranate margaritas (well, chugging because of the heat!) when our beloved Queen Bee, Peggy, picks up the latest issue of Boston Magazine and sees our name on page 111. WE WON! Yes, Best of Boston "Furniture, One-Stop". Awesome. Then I read the column and I was puzzled. It seems that the writer thinks our showroom is country-cute. Really? Cuz' I'm not seeing it. If you've walked into the Cambridge showroom recently you'd see a wide range of transitional furniture. We showcase products from American Leather, BDI, Ekornes and Jesper to name a few. None of which are country-cute. We also are very proud to display hardwood furniture from New England...not thinking we'd categorize it as country, though. We try very hard to focus on just plain good design and having oodles of options for our customers.

So, this got me thinking. How would you describe Circle? We often hear from customers that they think "color" when they here our name. We agree....we love color. I'd like to think we offer something for everyone...so here's your challenge. If you've been into a Circle Furniture...let us know what you think. If not, then come on in and let us find you what you're looking for...traditional, transitional or, yes, I'm going to say it.....contemporary.

By the way, we capped off our night at one of my favorite spots, Rocca. Glass of vino in hand, sitting with my co-workers, who have truly become good friends, knowing full well we all love what we do and we're super proud to be recognized as a Best of Boston retailer. Thanks Boston Magazine! Only bummer of the night? I was so tired I forgot to order the fried cauliflower at Rocca...which should win all sorts of awards!

Best of Boston 2009

We are now officially kind of a big deal! If you happen to pick up Boston Magazine's Best of 2009 Issue and flip through the furniture section, you will find Circle Furniture's name!! If you ask the Queen Bee it's about time, either way you go we are honored to be the Boston area's favorite store. Now, the magazine folk seem to think we have a country looking showroom . . . thoughts?

Fear No More with FLOR

So I've never been much on carpets, rugs, wall-to-wall, shags. I was a hardwood floor kind of girl. It's pretty obvious to me where this bias came from. Growing up my mom had to have a wall-to-wall, bright white, shag rug. Really. Yes, it was the most comfortable feeling under the toes but wow...was it a challenge to keep clean! Ok, so we didn't have any pets but we had six people living under one roof and that creates a lot of footprints. My brothers played soccer, lacrosse, football...my sister was constantly drinking cranberry juice and seltzer while watching General Hospital after school. I was always barefoot outside and tracking mud into the five different rooms this rug prevailed upon. It was like everywhere I went there was rug. No escaping.

"Take your shoes off inside this house!" was heard every hour coming from my mom. Poor thing. Trying to keep that stupid rug clean for her cocktail parties, volunteer meetings and holiday gatherings. We got to know the professional rug cleaners by name. Not kidding. In fact, my mom used to give the guys presents for their kids at Christmas. Bless her heart. So yes, keeping a rug clean and looking pristine has always seemed like a nightmare to me.

And then came FLOR. Alas. FLOR. It's like the miracle of the rug world. You can create your own look with these 20" square modular rug tiles, in many different styles and colors and be rest assured that you can clean it without hiring a professional cleaner. These tile are so easy to install and clean it's unbelievable. If you spill something on the rug you can actually take the tile up and wash it in the sink with soap and water, then re-install just by using another non-toxic adhesive to connect back to the other tiles. It's really that easy.

Since FLOR, my place is so much more warm and cozy. I didn't have to spend a fortune; I don't have to take my shoes off and I always get compliments on the rug I created. Ah...thank you FLOR.

Let Your Guests Decide

Ok, so I just read somewhere that we are only something like 126 days away from Black Friday. I thought, are you kidding me? Holidays. Who can think of the holidays at this point? While those of us in the Greater Boston area are still waiting (and longing) for the first signs of summer, shopkeepers and retailers all over the country are gearing up for the holiday season. Making plans. Getting their ducks in a row.

So this got me thinking...Not only are you and I going to have visits from old friends and relatives during the coming holidays...but what about all the other days of the year? All the friends that are in town for a job interview and need a place to crash. Or your sister-in-law who is bringing your nephew to Boston to check out colleges. Where do you put them? On the fold out couch in the basement? Please. We've all experienced the back-breaking bar on that old pull-out.

Here's where Circle Furniture thrives. We offer the Comfort Sleeper from American Leather. What? You haven't heard of the Comfort Sleeper? This sleeper is the only sleeper with real mattresses and comes in all sizes. It's a greener option as it is made with soy based foam from our friends at BiOH - www.experienceBiOH.com (you can even see a video from their site showing the Comfort Sleeper in action). The Comfort Sleeper comes in leather, fabric, Ultrasuede or microfiber, so there is something for everyone. You can even get a Queen size sleeper as small as 69" to fit in a small space. Pretty cool, huh?

So let your friends and family decide. But be careful, they may be so comfortable that they stay a little longer than you expected!

July BUZZZZZZZZZ

Get the goods from the queen bee in our What's the Buzz column

Also, a key point to note, tomorrow is the Queen Bee's birthday!

Lucy in the Sky

You may have known her as that good looking dog on the couch, but we knew her as Lucy. We lost our beloved Lucy on July 3, 2009. She was truly loved and she will be sadly missed. She was the best dog ever (right up there with Garp b.1979-d.1995) and she loved us right back. Whether it was a swim in White Pond or just walking in the woods, there was always a bounce in her step and a wag in her tail. She was amazing in that she loved to fetch soccer balls and chew rocks; she went through a lot of them. People could not believe how this little dog, she once was small before she got rubenesque, could grab onto a soccer ball and catch it mid air and she could do this for hours at a time. Max would sit in his room doing his homework and he would throw a tennis ball out the window and Lucy would go 2 flights of stairs and run outside through her door and retrieve the ball run back up and max would throw it again, on and on. But then Lucy couldn’t do the stairs any longer, and she was always brave through the pain and never let it slow down her enthusiastic greeting as you came in the door.
Thank you for all the love and good times.

Look out for Lucy's final appearance in our ad this Sunday, mention the ad in store and get a free hug.