Aleece Brown: Employee Spotlight!

Aleece Brown in the newly-renovated furniture department at Abt. She is smiling and wearing a black blazer and red shirt

By: Sean

Content Writer

8 min read

A few things are coming to Abt this fall, and we're excited for our expanded Furniture Gallery coming later this year—a part of our store that the fabulous Aleece Brown watches over. This month, we're shining our Employee Spotlight on Aleece Brown and everything she's accomplished during her time here at Abt. As a furniture specialist, she loves helping clients redesign their spaces, whether that's with one new accent chair or a completely revamped bedroom collection. From her first days helping customers with Abt's mattress collection to her current role as a furniture salesperson, she's used her patience, design expertise and kindness to help every customer she sees.

Before Aleece became an employee here, she was a customer. "I’d heard about Abt through word of mouth. Friends and family always spoke highly of the store’s customer service and the quality of the products." Aleece was looking for appliances for her new home, and her dad mentioned that she should give Abt a try. "You can say I was 'store-struck'. After my first visit, I knew that Abt was the place I was going to purchase from because they really placed value on the customer's experience. I had never seen anything like what I saw at Abt in another retail store."

While she loves being a part of the Furniture Gallery, it's not where she started. Aleece had been a chairside assistant at a dental office, and the dentist was getting ready to retire when she heard that there was an opening for a salesperson at Abt in the mattress department. "It was a great way to connect with customers and learn how to match their comfort needs with the right product. That being said, I had a hard time getting comfortable at first. I got better over time, following and listening to expert coworkers to learn from the best." Then came Abt's Furniture Gallery, where Aleece would find her niche.

Abt created its existing Furniture Gallery, a place where customers can find everything from sofas and dining table sets to artwork and rugs. It's where Aleece feels at home. "That’s where I truly found my passion. As the Furniture Gallery was being built and new pieces were placed on the floor, I made it a point to ask every question I could think of to each brand representative about fabrics, textures, and placement." Aleece grew alongside the Furniture Gallery itself, listening to customers and paying attention to shifting trends as time went on.

One of Aleece's favorite things about her department? "We have something for everyone, whether it's something traditional, transitional, trendy or something else. With the brands we have here on the floor, we're able to elevate somebody's home, no matter their style." And it's true. With cutting-edge brands like Hooker Furniture, Four Hands, Canadel and many more, there's something for everyone's tastes. One of Aleece's favorite aspects of her position is helping customers discover their style, sculpt their vision and pick out what's perfect for them.

A living room filled with Four Hands furniture, with two shaggy accent chairs, a white sofa and dual coffee tables

When you look at a piece of furniture on its own, you can't see the kind of impact it will have on someone's life. "I am helping customers find staple pieces that bring their spaces to life. Whether it’s an accent piece, a cozy family room set to gather around, or a beautiful dining table for sharing meals and memories, I’ve loved every opportunity to be part of those moments. Each experience has been rewarding, and I never take it for granted."

But picking out furniture isn't always easy, whether you've done your research or are coming in just to look around. Will this headboard look nice with your nightstands? How about the dining table, is the rug beneath it right for the color of this wood, and do the chairs match ... and do you want them to? These are the kinds of questions Aleece helps walk customers through, starting from basics like colors and styles. Whether people are bringing in paint swatches or their own paintings, Aleece is always excited to help them pick the perfect furniture to match their vision. "It's not like work for me. It's a lot of fun. I get to listen to customers and help them revamp their space, and just add color. Having customers walk out of here and knowing that they're extremely happy with what they've picked out is amazing. Knowing that I was able to help them redesign their space and I'm kind of a part of their space is really rewarding."

Even if a visit doesn't turn into a sale, Aleece loves it when her existing clients come in to talk. There's something she remembers about each customer who comes in. "With one of my first clients, it took two hours to finally make that sale, and that was years ago. Ever since, he and his family have come back to me when they need to make a purchase." Investing in making relationships with customers, building that bedrock of trust and showcasing the best of our collection is what Aleece does best, and that's why she's loved by her clients and other Abt employees—and why we've chosen to showcase her this month as our Employee Spotlight.

Aleece recently celebrated a full decade at Abt. With ten and a half years of experience helping clients choose the perfect picks for their home, we asked her to reflect on some of her favorite memories at Abt. "My favorite memory at Abt was when Mr. Abt would walk around the store on the weekends and check in with us, asking how we were doing and how we liked working here. He was always so kind and genuine, making everyone he spoke to feel important." If you've read any of our other Employee Spotlights, you'll know that Bob Abt is often mentioned and remembered as a strong influence in our employees' lives. Between working alongside Bob Abt and years of helping customers create the perfect spaces in their homes, Aleece has enjoyed making memories at Abt for a decade—with more fun to come in our new, remodeled Furniture Gallery scheduled to open to the public sometime this fall.

The Abt Furniture Gallery as it's being renovated. The space is currently empty.

The Furniture Gallery is still under construction, and we can't wait to show off the newly expanded space on the second floor of the Abt atrium. With the extra square footage, we'll be displaying so many more pieces and options than we could before. Aleece is excited to walk customers through a much larger portion of our collection, and mentions that we have all kinds of products in different materials, fabrics, leathers and colors than what you'll see on the floor—even with our new expansion. Between exploring our website and working with a sales specialist like Aleece in the store, finding the furniture that both evokes your personality and fits your home is easier than ever. She smiles, saying, "We're ready to elevate everybody's home."

Our final question for Aleece was simple: "What do you love about your job?" She responded with the perfect answer. "Abt feels like home to me. I love coming to work knowing I’m surrounded by people who care about what they do and about each other. Helping customers choose furniture is about more than just making a sale, it’s about helping them create comfort, beauty, and memories in their home. I love working for a company like Abt that prioritizes quality, customer care and integrity in everything it does and we all do together. That’s what makes what I do so special, and not many people can say that about their job."

Aleece invests in every customer she sees and loves her work—it's part of what keeps her clients coming back every time they need something new, and just one reason why she's our Employee Spotlight this October. Next time you need a new sofa or are looking for an accent piece with a personal touch, come to Abt and meet our team of furniture experts; you may run into Aleece. Say hello—she'd love to help you, whether you're looking for something today or down the road.