Dive Brief:
- DTC custom rug brand Ernesta opened a new showroom in Birmingham, Michigan, last week, and plans to launch a Dallas store next month and a Manhasset, New York, location this spring, the company announced last week.
- The three showrooms will grow the brand’s brick-and-mortar presence to seven with plans for at least three more units later this year, the company said. Over the past two years, Ernesta has opened showrooms in Summit, New Jersey; New York City; Bethesda, Maryland; and Greenwich, Connecticut.
- The new locations are about 1,250-square-feet in size, and designed to showcase the brand’s latest custom wool, natural fiber and performance rugs. A separate area allows for customers and designers to review products with Ernesta professionals.
Dive Insight:
Buoyed by $25 million in start-up funding, Ernesta was founded online in 2023 by former Peloton executives John Foley, Hisao Kushi and Yony Feng. Sourcing materials from such countries as India, Belgium and Turkey, Ernesta fabricates most of its rugs at a company-owned facility in Cartersville, Georgia.
On top of a trade portal to offer design professionals exclusive access to its collection, Ernesta has steadily grown its showroom footprint as it seeks to reach customers where they are.
“We are excited to continue building on Ernesta's momentum and growth, and these new showrooms mark an important next step for the brand," Jennifer Parker, chief sales officer, said in a statement. "Designers and homeowners alike are telling us they want a more personal, guided way to shop for rugs, one that brings together elevated materials, real expertise and true customization.”
Ernesta opened its first store in New York City’s Upper East Side in 2024. The 800-square-foot showroom space served as the prototype for future locations and was followed that fall by the Bethesda and Greenwich locations. Its largest location, a nearly 1,400-square-foot space, opened in New Jersey last July.
“The floorcoverings market was a bit soft in 2025, mostly because the housing market remains subdued,” Neil Saunders, GlobalData Managing Director, said in an email. “However, within this the rugs market performed better — this is because rugs can be a cheaper way of refreshing floors than buying a full new carpet or flooring, and because more people wanted to refresh the look of their rooms.”
