This is a very exciting time for the Clarks. We are finally retiring! We have found the perfect folks to carry on our business. We are thrilled to announce that Spectrum Lighting will carry on the legacy of BY DESIGN. Jennifer Robinson will manage both stores. She has been a wonderful client of BY DESIGN – so she deeply understands and values our conversation + relationships idea of design.
Importantly, they have the same core values as by Design: people first, service, honesty, & hard work to name a few. We think this is a “match made in heaven!”
We started our business in 1976 when we opened Wood Stock Ltd at 2335 Euclid Ave. It was an unfinished furniture store. Kevin’s parents were farmers in NW Iowa. They came to Des Moines and helped get us started. After 5 years, Kevin’s dad went back to farming. His mother helped us on and off for years. It was an interesting business and we learned a lot. We still have clients who have their tables or desks or chairs that they finished themselves!
We opened a beautiful, new store on 1st Street in West Des Moines in 1980. Then, we opened Sofas by Design in 1987. Custom furniture in 35 days! In 1999 we decided to commit to a completely new concept. We closed Wood Stock and became BY DESIGN custom furniture + interior design.
And our customers stuck with us. Amazing and humbling. We can’t thank all of you enough for allowing us to have an amazing life and raise our family by doing something that we love! We have met such wonderful people along the way. BY DESIGN (and Wood Stock) clients are the best!
The good news is that our sister company, Spectrum, has all kinds of plans for the store. It is only going to get better and better! So please stop by and check us out!
From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you!
Sincerely,
Kevin and Bonita Clark
