DirectBuy Celebrates 35th Anniversary of First Franchise

DirectBuy, the leading members-only showroom and home design center that offers merchandise at manufacturer-direct prices, announced today that it is celebrating the 35th anniversary of its first franchise. DirectBuy has grown to become the largest direct to consumer membership club of its kind, with thousands of members across the United States and Canada.

"We have always believed that consumers should have an alternative, lower-cost channel to buy products for their home and family, and that belief was the foundation for DirectBuy," said Scott Powell, president of DirectBuy. "For the past 35 years, we have allowed our members to take a calculated approach to savings and purchase brand-name merchandise for their homes and family at manufacturer-direct prices. The growth of our business is a testament to the savings, selection and service we provide to our members across North America."

DirectBuy’s unique business model continues to gain in popularity as membership has grown more than 50 percent over the past three years. This increase is directly related to the savings, the enthusiasm to purchase the top brands from several hundred manufacturers and their authorized suppliers, and the expanded service offerings DirectBuy offers its members, including newly redesigned showrooms and a partnership with renowned designer Christopher Lowell.

Member Satisfaction
The satisfaction of all members is DirectBuy’s number one priority. DirectBuy has a long track record of hundreds of thousands of satisfied members in North America who have enjoyed undeniable savings on a wide array of merchandise.

After the Friedman family finished building and furnishing their dream home in Rochester, New York, with merchandise from DirectBuy, they were so excited they could not decide who to thank first, so they thanked everyone. The Friedman family celebrated their new home by throwing a party for the entire staff from DirectBuy of Rochester.

The Friedmans purchased virtually everything other than lumber and the incidentals of construction without traditional retail markup, and they estimate that they saved $40,000 to $50,000. "For us, it was a no-brainer," said Steve Friedman, a DirectBuy member since November 2005. "In my opinion, it’s the best investment we’ve ever made, let alone in the past five years."

New Service Offerings
DirectBuy constantly strives to improve the member shopping experience. To bring the home improvement experience to life, DirectBuy is rolling out completely redesigned showrooms across North America that will allow members to view, feel and experience the top merchandise in DirectBuy’s five major product categories: Home Furnishings, Home Improvement, Flooring, Accessories and Entertainment/Outdoor.

DirectBuy members also have exclusive access to renowned designer Christopher Lowell. In the showrooms, Lowell has designed twelve room settings – created exclusively with products available through DirectBuy – using his Seven Layers of Design. An innovative approach to home décor, The Seven Layers of Design keep homeowners on a budget and from feeling overwhelmed.

New Openings
DirectBuy has recently opened up new design centers and showrooms in new markets across the United States, including:
1. Anaheim Hills, CA
2. Burbank, CA
3. Long Beach, CA
4. Portland, OR
5. Sacramento, CA
6. Shreveport, LA
7. Thousand Oaks, CA

Membership
Consumers who are interested in joining DirectBuy are encouraged to attend an exclusive Open House event, which is designed to educate families about DirectBuy's unique business model. The Open House also helps consumers better understand how DirectBuy members avoid traditional markup when purchasing brand-name merchandise.

About DirectBuy
For more than 35 years, DirectBuy has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything in home design – from furniture, carpet, hardwood flooring, and tile, to kitchen cabinets, bath cabinets, appliances and much, much more.

DirectBuy enables members to purchase most every product offering from hundreds of manufacturers at over 140 showrooms across North America. To request a "Free Insider's Guide to Buying Direct" and a Visitor's Pass to learn more about the superior value and benefits of a DirectBuy membership, visit www.DirectBuy.com or www.DirectBuyCares.com

Contacts:
Sara Shragal
DirectBuy
219.736.1100 ext 365
sshragal@directbuy.com

Chris Groppa
Fleishman-Hillard, Inc.
312.751.4193
chris.groppa@fleishman.com