May 21, 2012

Su Casa: The Shopping Experience - Baltimore, MD - April 2012

OUR ASSIGNMENT
"We want you to experience exactly what every customer experiences, so sorry, no special treatment!" -Su Casa

Ten weeks ago (a week after our little MJ arrived and just 4 days after we were released from the hospital) The Hub, The Monkey, MJ, and I braved a beautiful, cold, and WINDY day (I'm talking blow your skin off windy!) and headed into town to find our table.
Although we would have loved to venture down to the Inner Harbor location, parking, and the gale force winds weren't the best environment for milling about with a newborn, so we were pretty pumped to find that there were 4 locations to choose from (Baltimore in Fells Point, Ellicott City, Kenilworth in Towson, and Dewey in Dewey Beach, DE). We were even more excited to find out that all of the locations have pretty much the same merchandise on the floor.
I have to be honest, I've always been a little skeptical of furniture stores in shopping malls.  I think it's because it just feels too "Big Box" and trendy for my taste but because parking close and keeping the baby out of the cold as much as possible was at the top of our list this location fit the bill. So, with just a little reluctance we chose to do our shopping at Su Casa - Kenilworth
THE PROS
Upon our arrival we met Pat V. who was extremely non intrusive. She let us know she was there if we needed her and was always close enough for us to ask a question, but really let us wander around without making us feel like she was hovering. It was a good balance of what I like (to have my best girl friend with me while I shop) and what the Hub likes (don't mess with me I'm on a mission).
(This is Pat on the left, super sweet and cute!  I on the other hand, 7 days post major surgery and running on less than 2 hours sleep, am not super sweet and definitely not super cute!  ha ha!)

First of all, even though it's not at the top of everyone's list of important things, it was pretty stroller friendly.  The store was set up in a way that made you feel like you were really walking through someone's home. SUPER comfy and uniquely eclectic. Sort of like how you feel when you walk into a nice antique store.     Somehow, even though they were in a mall, Su Casa made me feel like the furniture I picked would be one of a kind. I know that may sound silly, but it's a feeling that a lot of people, especially women, have while shopping and even if you aren't consciously aware of it, how you feel while you're shopping plays a key role in deciding if shopping turns to buying.

THE CONS
In looking back on the experience there's only one thing I keep coming back to as a source of a small amount of trepidation. We never really discussed our space. No measurements, no questions about how this table and chairs was going to "fit" in our home. In hind sight that could have been because we seamed to know what we were doing, but in reality, that couldn't have been further from the truth. This is our first REAL furniture purchase! Now, over 10 weeks later, I'm holding my breath, biting my finger nails, and waiting on the call. I truly have NO idea if this table is going to look ridiculously huge in our space! Oops!



THE BEST PARTS

I think the best part so far about my Su Casa shopping experience is that this store helps you imagine the possibilities. As I meandered around the store, I had no trouble putting one of these pretty rugs underneath our beautiful new table.
And setting our table for dinner with these dishes.
 And kicking back after our bellies are full on a couch that looks a little something like this.
 
Be it an entire house, your favorite room, or one piece at a time like us. Oh the possibilities!

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!

3 comments:

Lo said...

Oooo!!!! REALLY LOVE the sofa with chaise. That would be PERFECT in our family Room!

Annie said...

I know nothing about the store Su Casa. This post makes me want to check it out. It looks so pretty!

Anonymous said...

Impressive, must have been a great store for you to stay and look around with sleep deprivation and a newborn . Katherine S