Hit the home jackpot!
By Beth Newcomb
Although an August fire ravaged Northeast Factory Direct’s warehouse and showroom location in Eastlake, the process of rebuilding has already begun.
“We’ll be open for business on the east side again in no time. In the meantime, our west side location is fully staffed and open for business,” says owner Alex Nemet.
“I can reveal to our dedicated customers that big things are in store on the east side in the coming months. We’re looking at the devastation that resulted from the fire as an opportunity to relaunch in that area. We’re coming back strong. We’re coming back bigger and better than before.”
Anyone looking to save a ton of money on everything from sofas, sectionals and chairs to hot tubs, mattresses and bedroom suites, pool tables, poker tables and even kitchen cabinetry will hit the jackpot at Northeast Factory Direct’s west side location.
“We’ve moved all of our employees from the east side to our west side location to help us keep up with demand,” Alex says. “Orders received at our east side location will be fulfilled without issue. And right now, customers who visit our west side location will enjoy some of the lowest prices of the year.”
Alex notes that in addition to low prices, his customers enjoy the freedom to browse without pressure to buy.
“We’ll greet you, offer you some fresh-popped popcorn, then give you the time and space you need to peruse our vast selection. If you need help, we’re glad to provide it. If you just want to look, that’s okay, too. We love to save our customers money. No pressure, no membership fees, just great deals.”
“We are, without question, the best value in town,” he adds. “We’ve been in business for 18 years and most of our customers (more than 70 percent) have come to us by referral—and they keep coming back. Who wouldn’t love deals this exceptional?”
While you can expect to find remarkable items priced at thousands of dollars below retail, don’t look for a fancy-shmancy showroom. Northeast Factory Direct is a no-nonsense, 25,000-square-foot warehouse setting that houses an extensive selection of some of the same furniture and leisure items that can be found at large furniture stores.
“My formula is simple,” Alex says. “I deal in big volume and we don’t have an upscale showroom floor. I’ve cut out the expensive overhead and my staff doesn’t work on commission. There is never any pressure to buy and I encourage customers to check around at other places to comparison shop. I do that because I know they’ll be back. The big guys don’t like me, but my customers appreciate the savings.”
Like most entrepreneurs, Alex started out small and grew as the demand for what he could offer increased. “I started with one dining room set and worked out of a friend’s garage in Lakewood,” he recalls.
“It didn’t take me long to realize I could be just as successful buying in volume and offering products for a few hundred dollars above my cost, as I could if I were selling the same thing and making a few thousand dollars like the big stores do.”
“Other stores would like our customers to believe we’re a fly-by-night operation because of the savings we offer, but I think our track record speaks volumes about us,” Alex adds. “I only buy high quality products and we get very few returns. Our buyers come from all over, many from outside of Cleveland.”
And here’s just one reason why. A six-person hot tub that comes fully loaded typically retails for $7,000. At Northeast Factory Direct you can get it for just $3,499.
Also on the showroom floor are aisles and aisles of gorgeous leather and suede micro-fiber sectionals, couches, chairs and loveseats to pick from in colors to suit any decorating style. They would be perfect in living rooms, family rooms, bedrooms and basements, with many starting at just $399.
Solid wood cabinetry priced 60-70 percent below lesser quality cabinets found at the box stores have also helped to make NEFD a household name. Design service is free of charge. Heck, they’ll even let you take your plans with you to shop around. Alex says it’s because he knows you’ll be back.
Says Alex, “We’re in business to make people’s dreams come true, whether it’s in the kitchen, bedroom, family room or on the patio.”
Find Northeast Factory Direct at 3321 W. 140th Street in Cleveland. The phone number is 216-941-7727 and the hours are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. To sit down with a kitchen designer an appointment is recommended. Get directions from anywhere when you visit the website at NortheastFactoryDirect.com.