Business View Magazine | Volume 9, Issue 2

103 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 2 “There was so much uncertainty and fear. Samantha and I were both in survival mode and fully focused on ways to ensure the business would survive.” The pair went into heavy negotiations with The RTA Store’s suppliers and finance partners to obtain larger than average discounts, which were passed directly to the consumer to help increase potential revenue for the coming months. After a few weeks, website traffic began to pick back up and then it started to snowball. The RTA Store was well-positioned to weather the pandemic as a trusted online cabinetry retailer open 24/7, with many customers looking to DIY products to improve their home spaces. “It’s a big purchase and one of the most important remodels a homeowner will complete – the kitchen is the heart of any home, and while customers want to ensure it’s done correctly, there was a very quick realization that purchasing your kitchen does not have to be done in a physical store,” Rougeux explains. “COVID nudged people to shop more online than they ever have. It’s always been an uphill battle to educate consumers that you can buy a kitchen online, COVID moved that needle for the online cabinetry space quite a bit.” The RTA store was founded in 2009 by Ackerman and Rougeux shortly after Ackerman graduated college. Seeing the rise in eCommerce, he did his research, and with the help of some family contacts, he and Rougeux decided to take the leap together. They launched The RTA Store in April of 2009, selling affordable, ready-to- assemble furniture and cabinetry. The cabinetry side of the business took off so they decided to refocus all efforts to finding new cabinet suppliers and removing furniture from their eCommerce website. Since then, they’ve grown to include cabinets for the entire home, not only the kitchen. THE RTA STORE