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18 | Kitchen & Bath Design News | February 2015 Industry Profle I n a time when kitchen and bath showrooms are trending toward smaller footprints, with space- saving virtual displays replacing some of the physical ones, one company is taking a diferent approach. PIRCH, headquartered in San Diego, CA, with seven showrooms across the country and an eighth being launched next month, doesn't buy into the "lean and mean" mentality. Instead, it be- lieves "bigger is better" – and it has the square footage to prove it. The Dallas location, which opened its doors last August, ofers 32,000 square feet flled with a nearly endless array of vignettes. It garners upwards of 6,000- 7,000 visitors a week, according to PIRCH Director of Marketing Maria Meeuwisse, who calls the showroom "a one-stop dream factory." The Atlanta showroom, which was launched in December, ofers an im- pressive 27,000 square feet of space, and the Paramus, NJ location, sched- uled to open its doors next month, will have 20,000 square feet to showcase vignettes of kitchens, baths, laundry rooms, outdoor entertainment spaces and more. Open to both the trade and the public, the supersized showrooms with luxury shopping center locales are designed to "teach people what's possible, and then guide them toward making the best design decision based on how the clients live, their budget and their dreams. People come in, they dream, they play, and then they choose," Meeuwisse explains. ALL ABOUT ENGAGEMENT But it's not just the size that makes these showrooms unique; it's all about engagement. The showrooms are designed to be 'experiential,' with live displays helping to make the show- room "a fun place to play," according to Meeuwisse. A culinary team on staf is another big bonus, she notes, explaining that "they're not salespeople, they're just there to teach people the new meth- ods of cooking and show of the new technologies" – further evidence that the showroom is designed as a place not just to shop, but to have fun. A constant stream of events also provides a draw for the trade, their cli- ents and walk-in consumers. Indeed, By Janice Costa Spacious Showroom 'Playground' Focuses on Visitor Engagement Photos: Courtesy of PIRCH Outdoor living spaces are among PIRCH's oferings, with live displays where the frm's culinary team ofers grilling classes and other specialty cooking classes.