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Let’s begin by establishing that
your father is Alf Blake, who is credited as the genius behind Mikasa. Your dad
was key in bringing fashion to the tabletop industry more than 30 years ago.
I will tell you he begged me to stay out of this
industry when I told him what I was doing. Whether it’s luck, insight, or
ability, my father was able to see the industry peaking by the late ’90s and the
challenges that would follow. When I told him what I was up to, he told me not
to do it.
And like most sons, you didn’t listen.
Well, like my dad, I love this business; it’s either
in your blood or it’s not and it’s in mine. I thought it would be a piece of
cake getting started with all of the relationships I had and that I’d quickly
fill a void that I saw. I didn’t imagine the struggles I’d end up going through.
Before we get to those struggles, let’s back up and establish how you got here.
You grew up in the industry. Was it a foregone conclusion you’d be in it?
I worked Mikasa’s warehouse sales when I was a kid
and they were amazing, but I don’t recall having a great interest in the
industry. I had no sense of my father’s reputation until I started to work at
Mikasa. He commanded a respect. What I liked most about the way he ran the
company was there was an open door policy, decisions were made quickly, and
there was little bureaucracy. That was the beauty of Mikasa. It was very
streamlined in the decision-making process.
I imagine that’s part of the reason you went to work there.
My brothers and I were all entrepreneurial. We all
knew we had to go out and make our own money. I ran a landscape business. When I
came to Mikasa in 1990, it was already a major industry player. I started as a
store manager when the Mikasa stores were in the embryonic stage; there were
just 13 at the time. It was all evolving. I managed the Orlando store, which was
one of the company’s biggest, and that led to managing all the stores in Florida
for three years. Then I went to corporate.
I’ve heard you say your Mikasa years offered a great education.
I say I received my PhD at Mikasa. It’s where I
learned this industry. Mikasa did many things right, but made many mistakes as
well. I learned that it’s all about the product. The right product covers up a
lot of other ills. You can have a less than desirable operating system,
financial system, or warehousing operation; however, you learn and understand
that good products will cover all these weaknesses. The customer tells you
quickly if you have a winner.
Given your dad’s caution about your new enterprise and the lackluster state of
tabletop, you jumped in nonetheless. Why?
It’s not a growing industry and consolidations have
made it hard as hell to make a living. Between advertising allowances and
chargebacks, retail has become a nightmare. But as I said I love the business,
the people, and the product.
continued . . . .
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