Michael McMann and Peter Murphy run their business on the philosophy that good taste is inherent, not acquired.
Their Queen's Garden store at 21 Park Avenue in Weymouth is stocked with thousands of pieces of furniture and home decor that they have personally selected at trade shows across the country. Although not professionally trained, we also offer interior design services.
“We’re very good at it,” McMann said. “Although we tell all our customers that we have no formal training, he receives at least one referral every time we work with him.”
Mr. McMann and Mr. Murphy have known each other for 15 years and previously served as district managers for a furniture chain in New England.
“While working for that company, we thought, 'Why don't we just do this ourselves?'” said Murphy, who lives in Plymouth.
McMann, who lives in Weymouth, has been interested in interior decoration since high school, when she would rearrange the furniture in her home.
He originally opened Queen's Garden in Norwell in June 2005, operating out of a 300-year-old colonial mansion. “Although it was very successful, I couldn't open my own business and handle all the business that came in by myself,” said McMann, 47.
About six months later, Murphy, 33, bought half of the business and moved it to a Weymouth location in 2006.
Currently, Queen's Garden has two buildings with a total of 8,000 square feet of showroom space on five floors. Home furnishings range from sofas, tables and lamps to picture frames, pillows, sconces and mirrors.
Mr McMann said owning Queen's Gardens enhanced their natural talent for creativity and good design sense. “We’re having fun,” he said. “It’s different than going to work every day.”
They employ four other salespeople and purchase products from trade shows across the country.
Home accessories range in price from $12 to $3,500, and furniture prices range from $300 to more than $4,000.
They say sales at Queen's Garden have increased significantly since it moved from McMann's home to the Weymouth location about three years ago.
“The economic downturn hasn't affected us that much because our inventory is so unique,” he said.
However, future plans do not include expansion.
“Rather than trying to open as many stores as possible, we want to perfect one store,” Murphy said.
Contact Sara Castellanos at scastell@ledger.com.
