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Retailer Profile RETAILER PROFILE 1 2 KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW n MAY 2014 n www.kitchenwarenews.com Rosental says. He says the store maintains a list of customers' suggestions for a cooking class and once three or four people have expressed an interest in a specific item, a class will be created by Chef Roberta DesBouillons, and many classes fill all 14 available spaces quickly. The classes at Tess' are generally held for three hours either on Tuesday afternoons or Saturday nights. Class prices range from $55 to $65, depending on what is being taught, he says. Limiting the classes to 14 people "allows everyone to do some hands-on cooking," Rosenthal says. Many of the classes are basic experiments in unfamiliar cuisine, he says. However, Rosenthal says Chef DesBouillons is in the process of creating a series of slightly more expensive and time-consuming advanced specialty cooking classes. While the cooking school may fill Tess' 7,500 square feet with delightful aroma, there is much more to the store. "You have to have a reason for people to come into your store," Rosenthal says. And the reason people flock to Tess' Kitchen Store is its well-stocked three floors of kitchenware accessories. "We sell stuff from all over the place," he says, noting that hand-painted Polish potter y is a consistently popular item. Anyone looking for cutler y will find a wide selection at Tess'. "We're pretty proud of our cutlery section," Rosenthal says, noting that he had a special cutler y display built into the wall of the building. "I don't think I've seen a nicer display in any store," he says, noting that among brands Tess' Kitchen Store sells are WÜSTHOF, Kyocera, Messermeister, Forschner by Victorinox, Kai and Shun. As a special treat, the daughter of the founder of Messermeister recently came to the store and did a presentation on all things cutlery. Tess' carries jams, toffee, candies, nuts, gluten-free cookies and brownies that are made by local residents. Nestled among the many items at Tess' Kitchen Store is a blend of high-end and entr y-level glassware. The one thing Rosenthal says he hesitates to offer is something he learned from his customers. "A lot of people do not want to buy anything made in China," he says. He says those who object to buying Chinese-made products generally fall into three categories: Those who have concerns about poor- quality workmanship, those who object to so many American jobs being sent to China and those who are concerned about the safety of using cookware from China. Near the glassware is a section set aside for barbecue aficionados. W hile Tess' doesn't sell grills, it has a full range of barbecue accessories, from ever y imaginable accessory to a special-secret "rub" for those cooks who coat their meat in dry rubs before placing it in the smoker or on the grill. The gadget department is upstairs, where there is also a tasting bar devoted to a large selection of olive oils and vinegars, and not far away is a section for coffeemakers in which customers can have a special cup of coffee brewed for them from any coffee maker the customer may want to try out before purchasing it. The top floor of Tess' is filled with all types of linens, as well as a wide range of small electrics. It's also home to an Oxo- brand store within a store. Oxo products are very popular among foodies, and when he and Oxo decided to open their Oxo store within a store, it doubled sales of Oxo products, Rosenthal notes. With so much going on it seems incredible that Rosenthal manages to get by with a relatively small sales staff of just 10 employees. Those employees give guests plenty of attention, for many of the customers come and stay for far longer than they expected. "People will literally come in and spend two or three hours here," Rosenthal notes. Tess' Kitchen (Cont. from Page 1)

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