DuoHome opens in Cleveland Heights
Business owners Tim Kempf and Scott Suskowicz moved their design and furnishing retail store, DuoHome, to 3479 Fairmount Blvd. in Cleveland Heights in April. DuoHome relocated from Cleveland’s West Side to join other “like-minded retailers" in the Fairmount Taylor Business District. DuoHome is neighbor to two other home stores, Paul Hamlin Interiors and Paysage. “This is a dedicated design block,” said Suskowicz.
Kempf and Suskowicz live near the Heights and have extensive design experience. The pair met while working at the Ohio Design Centre in Beachwood and wanted the challenge of starting their own business. In 2007, they opened a retail store, DuoHome. Duo represents the collaboration between the owners as well as the store’s plan to offer both retail items and interior design consultations. Home, of course, refers to the business’s design focus.
DuoHome sells mainly contemporary and transitional furniture, and many of its items cannot be found at larger furniture retailers. In the brightly decorated store, home furnishings, accessories and artwork are displayed. “A lot of the artwork we have is from local Cleveland artists,” Kempf said.
While customers have an opportunity to order furnishings that are not stocked at the store, visitors will find a range of items, from quirky accessories to functional pieces. “Our merchandise changes frequently,” Kempf said.
Suskowicz and Kempf said they own DuoHome with a “level of self-satisfaction.” Over the years, the men have responded to changes in the economy and the need to acccomodate their target market. Now they are adjusting to their new Cleveland Heights neighborhood. “There’s a definite sense of community here,” said Suskowicz. More information and store hours can be found at the company website, www.duohome.com.
Simone Jasper
Simone Jasper is a 2012 graduate of Beaumont School. She studies print journalism at Elon University and is an intern at the Heights Observer.