S04.E07: Pacific Hospitality

[Tara Ariano]

Quote

A furniture company in Los Angeles is crowded with old inventory and struggles with quality control, but Marcus' decision to bring in outside consultants creates tension that jeopardizes both businesses.

[PBSLover]

Hmmm....going to be interesting to see why he is focusing on another furniture company.

[PBSLover]

I loved, loved, loved this episode.  Finally!  A great business owner who just needed some guidance on how to turn her company from good to great.  What a breath of fresh air.

[Primetimer]

And other not-quite-burning questions from Episode 7.

View the full article

[Amarsir]

I thought it was very interesting how closely integrated this was with Marcus' existing businesses, both as collaborator and customer. There's been a distinct lack of follow-ups this season and my initial thought with seeing another furniture company is that Marcus is repeating himself because he's out of ideas. But happily that's not the case and he had a definite reasoning. 

[Josiah Bounderby]

1. Thank God I got to learn about another AT&T product.
2. But what synergy occurs when AT&T Collaborate works with AT&T Press to Talk?
3. Anna dresses beautifully and her hair was quite nicely styled. However, that color and that length? Terrible. Little girl hair on a grown-ass woman. I've seen this too many times.
4. The Anna vs. Steve reality show showdown did not convince. Not even close.
5. The Profit needs to get a different "peaceful reconciliation" music cue.
6. Because so much of this episode was wasted with Anna vs. Steve nonsense, the show sort of made Marcus look like he was conducting a seminar about how NOT to succesfully merge businesses.

[Josiah Bounderby]

P.S. I found Anna quite likable: a very in-the-moment performer and a performer who listens.

[attica]

Marcus could keep all of his businesses humming along quite nicely just doing jobs for each other! 

[Gregg247]

I really liked this episode, and it showed Marcus doing what he does best: stepping in to a long-time business on the ropes, figuring out the problems (margins, quality, efficiencies) and setting to work to fix all three.

I wasn't completely sold on the merging of the 2 furniture businesses.  Did Marcus buy a majority of stock in Grafton?  If not, how can he demand that Steve give up his design duties in favor of Anna?  I didn't like the way Marcus just decided that Anna was the better designer and essentially demoted Steve, despite the fact that Steve had done everything Marcus had asked of him and increased the business by 50% in a year.

The Simple Greek has gone from 5 to 250 franchises?!?!  WOW!  This must be Marcus' most successful enterprise so far.  I love how Marcus had the Simple Greek guy there to choose which design he liked better, and if The Simple Greek would take either one at all!  

Simple Greek Employee: "Sorry Marcus, your furniture companies' designs are lousy.  I'm going to an outside company for furniture rather than give you $5 million of your own money back."

Marcus: "Sure, no problem!  I understand completely.  No hard feelings!"   NO way in the world!!!!! LOL

[ae2]

Finally! A good episode that focuses on fixing the business and not fixing the person. The Steve vs Anna was fairly lightweight drama compared to the first half of this season.

I don't know if Marcus shines the most with manufacturing businesses, or if they just work the best with this show, but I've realized episodes that feature them are some of the best. It just feels like there is more focus on fixing the processes and the products, and Marcus tends to be more in his element. Instead of coming across as a pretentious know it all ("uh, you're not the only person who knows how to chop an onion") he brings in experts to address quality control, or he makes the production demonstrably more efficient.

Marcus previously invested $1.5 million in Grafton furniture for 45% of the business and full financial control. So presumably he has the ability to make the partnership happen regardless of what Grafton wanted. 

Speaking of which, I wasn't totally clear about the nature of that arrangement. At first they spoke about it as a partnership, but then they kept calling it a merger, as if the two companies were becoming one instead of simply helping each other fulfill orders. Is Grafton still selling residential furniture? Does Anna design that too? Or are they just a manufacturer for Pacific now? I wonder if Anna realized how fully he wanted them to collaborate when she signed up, and I wonder how much say Steve had in that.

They kept saying Simple Greek has 250 locations opening up. Their site still only shows 4 open right now and about another dozen coming soon. It seems crazy to go instantly from 4 to 250.

[PBSLover]

Regarding the branding.  AT&T and Chase Bank. Marcus has touted AT&T from the first season of the show as his phone/internet company because of the technology it offers.  Marcus has done commercials for Chase and has banked with them since the start of his career and uses it for all his businesses.  

There was no surprise in last night’s episode regarding AT&T.

[PBSLover]

Also, I wonder if the stepdad from The Simple Greek is still involved in the company.  Originally, Mike (I think that was his name) was supposed be the store representative.  But the guy we saw in last night’s episode still seems to be running things.

[Amarsir]

1 hour ago, PBSLover said:

Also, I wonder if the stepdad from The Simple Greek is still involved in the company.  Originally, Mike (I think that was his name) was supposed be the store representative.  But the guy we saw in last night’s episode still seems to be running things.

I think Marcus implied via Twitter a few months ago that Mike was eventually removed from the equation. But we do need a follow-up that resolves it.

I noticed he isn't buying any furniture for a growing number of Standard Burger franchises, though.

[Josiah Bounderby]

"I noticed he isn't buying any furniture for a growing number of Standard Burger franchises, though."

Ha! Prediction: no one will ever speak of Standard Burger again.

[Josiah Bounderby]

I am a simple man with simple needs. And what I need from this show is more information about AT&T products that I can buy.

[TVbitch]

I wonder how Marcus got Steve to agree to perform those scenes of public emasculation for the camera. Maybe Steve got the Screen Actors Guild day rate. Thank God Marcus cut the crap when interacting with the dad and was respectful of that situation.   

[BusyOctober]

I did like Ana's designs for Simple Greek better than Steve's, but I did not like her choice of covering/upholstery for the bench.  It looked very heavy and almost like a brocade, even though I think she said it was vinyl or some other durable fabric.  Whatever it was, it did not make me think of the Mediterranean for one second.  And if Steve is so into designing, why did he look puzzled by the idea of a "Mood Board"?  My 1980's college roommate majored in architecture and interior design, and she had mood boards everywhere, for everything!  They aren't a new tool in the industry.

Ana definitely has talent.  She understands pleasing the customer & getting the vibe right for the pieces and where they will be used. However, those hot pink velvet, high-backed throne-chairs they showed in the beginning gave me nightmares!

I have a question about Ana being elevated to Chief Designer; Marcus said she'd lead designs for Grafton-PH AND that she'd be heading up/overseeing designs for ALL his enterprises.  That's awesome for Ana, but I wonder how she'll be compensated.  Does she get two pay checks?  One from Grafton-PH & one from "Marcus, LTD" or whatever his corp is called?  I sure hope she gets paid for the work she does for each business entity! 

[ae2]

22 minutes ago, BusyOctober said:

Ana definitely has talent.  She understands pleasing the customer & getting the vibe right for the pieces and where they will be used. However, those hot pink velvet, high-backed throne-chairs they showed in the beginning gave me nightmares!

I wanted the story on those chairs too! Are they for the playboy mansion? A live action Barbie TV show? Must know!

[BusyOctober]

25 minutes ago, ae2 said:

I wanted the story on those chairs too! Are they for the playboy mansion? A live action Barbie TV show? Must know!

Haha!  My 6 year old daughter thought they were "awesome" and wants one for Christmas because they look like something Barbie or Princess Sofia has.

[PBSLover]

21 hours ago, Amarsir said:

I think Marcus implied via Twitter a few months ago that Mike was eventually removed from the equation. But we do need a follow-up that resolves it.

So glad to hear it.  What a douche that guy is.

1 hour ago, BusyOctober said:

I did like Ana's designs for Simple Greek better than Steve's, but I did not like her choice of covering/upholstery for the bench.  It looked very heavy and almost like a brocade, even though I think she said it was vinyl or some other durable fabric. 

I kind of thought the same thing.  I thought it would have been smart for her to say during her pitch, “We can change up the fabrics if there is anything you are not liking.” I think it is always good to let the client know there are choices.

[Amarsir]

3 hours ago, BusyOctober said:

I did like Ana's designs for Simple Greek better than Steve's, but I did not like her choice of covering/upholstery for the bench.  It looked very heavy and almost like a brocade, even though I think she said it was vinyl or some other durable fabric.  Whatever it was, it did not make me think of the Mediterranean for one second.

I wonder how some of the busier patterns will look against the famously stark walls of The Simple Greek. Maybe it will be the compliment the room needs but I fear it's so far at the other end of the spectrum.

[fib]

5 hours ago, Amarsir said:

I wonder how some of the busier patterns will look against the famously stark walls of The Simple Greek. Maybe it will be the compliment the room needs but I fear it's so far at the other end of the spectrum.

I had the same thought - though I think the fabric pattern is quickly adjustable in the way the chair design is not.  I loved the chair with the Olive cutout so much.  The stool was nice too, but I would have preferred if they were the same color.  I liked the bench details, but I didnt like the fabric at all.  But that would be so easy to change, so that just the beautiful bench details would shine.  

And a good designer knows how to tweak their ideas to bring out what the client wants.  

[Kiss my mutt]

I think if the restaurant wasn't stark to begin with, the design patterns would compete so I think it's a perfect canvas for her work. I thought their restaurants were uninviting and drab that if I went I'd just get my order to go. This will definitely give the franchise some appeal.