MANHASSET, N.Y. – Ernesta, the direct-to-consumer rug brand, opened its first brick-and-mortar store on Long Island last week, part of an aggressive growth strategy that includes seven to eight more openings nationwide by year’s end.
This latest store is situated in the primarily high-end residential neighborhood of Manhasset, N.Y., next door to a Kohler store and about a block away from a Visual Comfort store. Manhasset is home to a design-savvy population, according to Ernesta President Alan Smith.
“We’re in good company,” he said on the night of the opening, referring to Kohler and Visual Comfort’s proximity. “It’s a good place to be. In this market, people love design.”
Ernesta’s niche is its custom sizing. The walls of the store are lined with examples of the plush or flatweave styles the company offers; everything is custom-ordered. Rug sizes range from as small as 2′ x 2′ to 15′ x 25′, according to the company’s website, but it is also capable of making rugs that are smaller than that or oversized. The rugs are sourced worldwide, though mostly from Turkey or India, and fabricated in Ernesta’s Cartersville, Ga., facility. Delivery time is two to four weeks, according to Jen Parker, who oversees the retail stores.
The company was founded as an e-commerce business four years ago by Peloton founder John Foley, who serves as CEO (Foley stepped down as CEO of Peloton in 2022). The company currently operates eight stores, including one that opened in Dallas in February, with another eight planned by the end of the year.
Foley estimates the business will generate $100 million this year.
“The market is telling us we are on to something,” he said.
