Home design market fosters collaborative spirit

Gerry and Amy Jones had a problem: Their new business facility was too big.

The couple had spun off a flooring and cabinet company, AGJones@Home, from their construction business. They converted a former metal recycling warehouse at 39 N. Broadview St. in Cape Girardeau to serve as a showroom.

However, they only needed a portion of the showroom for their wares. That's where Jason Wray of the Creative Edge marketing agency came in and where Roost Home Design Marketplace was born.

"When I look at a business concept as a marketing person I like to find out where the pain points are," Wray said. "In the home renovation industry, one of the largest pain points anyone will tell you if they've built or renovated is the stress of going to multiple different places ... and trying to make it all fit together."

One of Wray's clients needed extra showroom space and the Joneses had it. They decided combining multiple showrooms into one space could bring in more foot traffic than having separate ones.

"We really haven't seen anything exactly like we're doing," Gerry Jones said.

Current vendors, aside from AGJones@Home, include the Perryville, Missouri-based EarthWorks natural stone and several Cape Girardeau companies — Ford and Liley Countertops, Southfork Lighting, HD Media Systems, Magnolia Outdoor Decor, Independent Blinds and Overhead Door of Southeast Missouri. There is still limited space available for potential new vendors.

"Everything here can be bought here," Jones said. "If you see it, one of the vendors here sells it. Flooring, lighting, everything."

Vendors at Roost each sell their own type of home design goods. One company specializes in lighting, another blinds, another countertops and so on. This prevents them from competing with each other and allows customers to browse a larger selection of what they might want.Christopher Borro

Vendors at Roost each sell their own type of home design goods. One company specializes in lighting, another blinds, another countertops and so on. This prevents them from competing with each other and allows customers to browse a larger selection of what they might want.Christopher Borro

Even the restrooms feature flooring, lighting and countertops for purchase.

Roost opened in July but its co-founders have been slow-rolling the opening as different vendors moved in.

Each vendor sells different amenities so as not to compete with one another. This way, Jones said, customers can come in looking for one item and walk away with several.

The vendors will put out new items based on industry trends, he added, so the showroom will be constantly evolving.

The home renovation business, Wray said, has been on the rise since the coronavirus pandemic as people consider fixing up their homes instead of buying new ones.

Wray added that he wanted Roost to be an experience; the co-founders plan to host food trucks and live music in the future. There are conference rooms and a copy room for people to use, as well as a recently opened bar, which will serve drinks certain days of the week.

The co-founders have already brought in several customers from out of state. They plan to make the marketplace into something people visit from not only Southeast Missouri, but as far away as Arkansas, Kentucky or Tennessee.

Jones said he thinks the concept could be taken to other markets as well.

Roost recently switched to a new schedule: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. An official grand opening event is slated for January.

For more information, call (573) 837-4744 or visit www.facebook.com/roostcape and www.roostcape.com.

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