When family-owned Wilson Lighting began looking for the next city where it could expand its empire, a broker showed off the building in Clayton, near the Saint Louis Galleria, that housed Edwin Pepper Interiors for two decades (909 S. Brentwood, 913-642-1500, wilsonlighting.com). “The building size fit us to a T,” says Brian Wilson, vice president of Wilson Lighting. “The price was also attractive. When we did our due diligence on the St. Louis market, we were extremely impressed. We have hundreds of vendors, and a number have said to me, ‘Brian, I don’t know if you could have picked a better market to go into.’”
The store is scheduled to open in late October or early November.“It is called Wilson Lighting, but when people walk into our store, they see that we are far more than a lighting store,” Wilson says. “We are a home-decor showroom with a strong lighting emphasis.” In addition to lighting, the store sells furniture, decorative accessories, and framed art. It carries a variety of styles and price points. The company also imports a number of products directly from Europe. And Wilson Lighting stocks what it sells,so you don’t have to order ahead.
“We believe in instant gratification or immediate availability,” Wilson says. “Our goal is to have stock levels that allow people to come in and walk out with the product that day.”
