Mantooth Interiors
Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
1113 Mantooth
Lynette Mantooth runs Mantooth Interiors with her husband, Larry.
Forty years into its journey, Mantooth Furniture has changed its name and freshened its look. But one part of the furniture and interior design store has, and always will, remain — its loyal customers.
Owners Larry and Lynette Mantooth are constantly updating the store’s inventory to keep abreast of trends, and they have a number of repeat customers who drop by every month just to see the new things in stock. In fact, after four decades, this allegiance is often hereditary.
“Right now we’re on second and third generations,” Lynette said. “Some of the people that Larry sold to in the ‘70s, their children are buying from us, and now we’re beginning to see their children.”
This staunch loyalty is mainly due to the Mantooths’ efforts to go beyond customer service to build friendships. Mantooth employees will frequently spend hours working with clients to create the perfect space, but it’s the conversations over lunch and nights spent watching Alabama football games that truly endear them to customers.
“Our mantra is ‘You’re not a client, you become a friend.’ We want to laugh with you, we want to cry with you, we want to be there in the good times and the bad,” Lynette said.
In January the store’s name changed from The Brass Bed to Mantooth Interiors to reflect its updated and expanding business.
“After our 40th, it was time to do something new,” Lynette said.
Mantooth Interiors has been in its current location for 26 years, and the foot traffic and community feel of downtown has been ideal for the store’s growth. Business has expanded so much that the Mantooths acquired a neighboring store, The Curtain Exchange, in 2012 and added an additional 2,000 square feet to the showroom in June.
“If you haven’t been in lately, you’ve got to come see it because it is breathtaking,” Lynette said.
The store’s interior is stuffed with furniture to suit every decorating style and need, from beds and dining tables down to linens and a popular line of candles. For customers who want some professional direction, the company employs trained interior designers who can start from scratch to create room designs that are uniquely tailored to clients’ tastes.
“You can start with us from paint colors to carpets and follow it all the way through to completion,” Lynette said. “A lot of times, we have clients come in that just say, ‘Here’s a key. Do the condo; do the house. Call us when it’s done.’”
The Mantooths are enjoying their 40th anniversary with an undimmed passion for furniture and design, and they look forward to many more years working with new and old friends in Homewood.
“Every single day I get up and I love to come to work,” Lynette said. “I feel like I’m the luckiest girl in town because I get to meet new people and see such great homes.”
