Country Club Plaza’s Superlatives closing its retail store to concentrate on its interior design business

Superlatives, a home furnishings, antiques and gift store, is closing its retail location after more than 40 years of operations.

The owners plan to concentrate on their interior design business.

Dan Flannery founded the company in 1972 just south of the Plaza and later moved it to Crown Center. Superlatives relocated to the Plaza in 1984 and has been at its current location at 320 Ward Parkway since 1996. Judy Barlow became a partner in 1989.

“Our lease will be up in April and our core business, interior design, is taking so much of our time. So we decided to devote our energies toward that,” Barlow said.

The retail shop is open daily and it also required the owners to travel to Europe and elsewhere to stock the inventory with antiques and unique new items.

“We’re not getting any younger. Now we will be able to set our own hours and continue to work on some interesting projects in town and out of town as well,” Flannery said. “But we wanted to remain on the Plaza. We have been here for 30 years.”

Superlatives is finalizing a lease on a second floor studio space at 411 Nichols Road that will be open by appointment only.

The store is currently having a sale with most items 40 percent off. It will start a “liquidation sale” with more aggressive discounts in late April that also will include fixtures. The store is scheduled to close by early June.

In a statement, Glenn Stephenson, vice president and division manager for Highwoods Properties, the Plaza's landlord, said: “We are pleased that Superlatives plans to remain on the Plaza as they transition into focusing on the design part of their business. They have been a staple for many years and it will be great to keep them in the neighborhood.”

This story was originally published March 20, 2014 at 10:56 AM with the headline "Country Club Plaza’s Superlatives closing its retail store to concentrate on its interior design business."