Let there
be lamps

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

When he was in his early 20s, Mike McLaughlin was uncertain about a profession, but figured he would own a business of some kind.
That was back in 1983 — not exactly an ideal time for a cash-strapped young man to start a business. Inflation, interest rates and unemployment were all high.
The 22-year-old couldn’t get a loan on his own, so his parents, Betty and Vince, co-signed for a $25,000 loan from the old Girard National Bank. They put up their Mayfair rowhome as collateral, with the interest rate a whopping 15-1/2 percent.
The money allowed McLaughlin to move into a shell of a building with concrete floors and unpainted walls.
"It started from scratch," he recalled.
On April 6, 1983, the Lamp and Shade Outlet opened at 8601 Torresdale Ave. in Holmesburg.
"I didn’t know a thing about lamps," McLaughlin acknowledged.
Today, the Lamp and Shade Outlet is still in business. McLaughlin is proud to have the same phone number and address all these 25 years.
"Twenty-five years is hard to do. That’s a lot of days," said McLaughlin, a Rhawnhurst resident. "I’m here every day. This is how I make a living. It helps that I’m eight minutes away from work."
The outlet specializes in lamps, lamp shades and lamp repair.
The store sells table lamps, floor lamps, Tiffany lamps, torch lamps and lamps made of crystal and solid brass from a variety of manufacturers. All are displayed in an orderly fashion in the showroom.
Employee Joe Deni keeps busy repairing all types of lamps, often while a customer waits. He fixes the wiring and sockets on antique lamps and more modern ones.
One large room is dedicated to lamp shades of all colors, shapes, sizes and styles.
"Nobody devotes that much space to lamp shades," McLaughlin said.
Added sales consultant Barbara Breining: "I think we have more lamp shades than probably anybody in the tri-state area."
The store also re-covers shades and will fit a shade to any lamp that a customer brings to the shop. Also on sale are chandeliers, light bulbs, ceiling fans and light-switch plates.
The Philadelphia Daily News recently gave the company a People Paper Award for Best Lighting.
In addition to the lighting products, there’s a selection of area carpeting, mirrors, tables and desks.
Customers are welcome to browse the showroom at the store, which is open seven days a week. It’s closed on Sundays from the Memorial Day to the Labor Day weekends.
Orders can also be placed by going to www.lampandshadeoutlet.com, a Web site that includes pictures of many of the products.
While city and suburban residents make up the bulk of the customer base, the Web site allows the store to increase sales by reaching people who live out of state.
Competing against department stores is difficult, McLaughlin said, but he thinks his shop offers better quality and customer service.
After taking a few years to build the company, McLaughlin said the outlet thrived until retail businesses as a whole started to struggle a few years back. He senses that the retail industry was affected, for whatever reason, by the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
To retain customers and earn new ones, the outlet has to stand out from its competitors.
As an example, McLaughlin said, the staff puts together the lamps for the customers.
"We assemble everything we sell," he said. "That’s a strong point here. We save the customer time and aggravation."
McLaughlin said he likes his location, next to an art store and in the same strip center as a longtime beer distributor. There is plenty of free off-street parking.
"We’re committed to the surrounding neighborhoods and the people who live there," he said.
Breining, the sales consultant, was with the company on day one. She took a four-year hiatus but is back and looking forward to the outlet’s continued growth.
"Here’s to another twenty-five years," she said. ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com