ATG Stores

ATGStores.com
Private
Industry E-tail
Founded 1999
Founder
  • Gary Rubens
  • Brad Halbach
Headquarters Kirkland, Washington, USA
Key people
 Michelle Newbery, CEO
Products Decorative Lighting, Plumbing, Hardware, Furniture & Decor, Appliances, Bed & Bath, Flooring
Website www.ATGStores.com

ATGStores.com is the trade name for Allied Trade Group, Inc., an e-commerce company which began in 1999 with the launch of its first website, Lighting Universe. ATG added 50 stores in the beginning of 2008 [1] and presently encompasses around 500 websites in multiple home furnishing, utility and paraphernalia categories, specializing in product sales of a variety of name brand manufacturers. Their headquarters are based in Washington state and there were previously as many as 7 ATG retail showrooms,[2] all of which closed[3] prior to ATG's acquisition by Lowe's at the end of 2011.[4]

The company currently operates online stores in lighting, plumbing, furniture, outdoor furniture, office furniture and home improvement under the ATG Stores brand.[5]

History

Lighting Universe was formed in 1999 with the intent to consolidate lighting catalogs and pricing online for designers and lighting specifiers, as well as homeowners and contractors.[6] In 2000 LightingUniverse.com went live, and two years later ATG Stores launched FixtureUniverse.com, targeting plumbing fixtures and decorative bath products. In 2003 Allied Trade Group, Inc. was formed as the parent company of Lighting Universe and Fixture Universe with the goal to grow into a full line home furnishings supplier.

ATG Stores opened their first brick and mortar showroom in May 2004 with its first store in Kirkland, Washington;[7] their second showroom was purchased from The Lighting Co in August 2004.[8] ATG Stores began selling flooring and home decor in November 2005. ATG Stores has been on Inc. Magazine's fastest growing companies list twice. Once in 124th place in 2006 [9] and once in 412th place in 2007.[10] They have also received recognition by the Puget Sound Business Journal, in 2006 they were ranked #16 and in 2007 ranked #31 on their list of fastest growing companies in the Northwest.

Lowe's Home Improvement acquired ATG on December 29, 2011 with the intention of expanding the product variety available to Lowe's stores and Lowes.com while also bringing more traffic and credibility to ATG as an online e-tailer. This initiated the closing of the ATG retail showrooms in Washington state and allowed for Lowe's customers to purchase ATG items in-store for pickup.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Targeted sites boost click-through rates for ATG Stores". Internet Retailer. 2008. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
  2. ↑ "Show Rooms - Allied Trade Group Stores". ATGStores.com. 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-13.
  3. ↑ "Showrooms Closing". ATGStores.com. 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-31.
  4. ↑ "Lowe's Companies, Inc. Announces Acquisition of ATG Stores". Allied Trade Group. 2011. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  5. ↑ "Hamstead Stars at Lighing Universe" (PDF). Home Lighting Magazine. 2006. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
  6. ↑ Meyers, Sean (2000-07-30). "Online lighting stores not yet a fixture in industry". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
  7. ↑ "Allied Trade adds retail to e-tail with showrooms". Puget Sound Business Journal. 2006-10-22. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
  8. ↑ "Lighting Universe acquires competitor". Puget Sound Business Journal. 2004-09-27. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
  9. ↑ "Inc. 500 List". Inc. 2006. Retrieved 2009-06-08.
  10. ↑ "Inc. 500 List". Inc. 2007. Retrieved 2009-06-08.
  11. ↑ "Lowe's buys ATG to expand online footprint". Market Watch. 2011. Retrieved 2013-11-18.

http://www.bbb.org/western-washington/business-reviews/lighting-fixtures-retail/allied-trade-group-in-kirkland-wa-6025336 http://articles.marketwatch.com/2011-12-29/industries/30708164_1_online-sales-internet-online-presence[] http://www.marketwatch.com/story/lowes-buys-atg-to-expand-online-footprint-2011-12-29

External links

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