Ethan Allen's CEO discusses the company's plan for success as the world (and consumer demand) returns to normal, and why he's betting on smaller stores
Ethan Allen CEO Farooq Kathwari knows the home boom can't last forever, but he's staying philosophical about it. “This has been an incredible run. But I think that people are now coming out of their homes, so as we go forward we are preparing for the fact that it’s going to be harder,” he tells host Warren Shoulberg. “People are going to be more cautious. They’re going to demand better quality and service. [Demand is] not going to remain at the levels we’ve seen, which means that we have to work harder and differentiate ourselves to gain market share. That's what we intend to do.”
In this episode of the podcast, Kathwari weighs in on a variety of hot topics in retail, ranging from the sensitive relationship with China to why he’s betting on smaller stores more than some of his competitors. He also shares a thumbnail sketch of an incredible life story that took him from the mountains of the Kashmir region of India to leading a venerable American retail brand for more than 30 years.