Home business turns into local store

Company+logo+from+Facebook+page.

Company logo from Facebook page.

Izzy Ciferno, Guest Writer

On Saturday December 3, a new door opened for former Mayfield graduate Michael Bissell, his employees, and even the community

Located on 33301 Vine St. in Eastlake, Bissell Design Co. officially opened its first store. The store sells improved and repurposed furniture of all kinds.

Bissell was amazed to see how his number of customers have increased recently. An article written earlier this year featuring his business was posted to Facebook and received more than 7000 views. His business through the roof.

He had no other choice than to take his talents further and expand his business from his home to an actual store.

“The store is really close to the storage units that I have. I was looking into getting a warehouse in Highland Heights when this storefront became available and I chose it because it was on a main street with a lot of traffic,” Bissell said.

Continuing the legacy, Bissell will keep hiring students and or graduates from MHS. “I believe our best ideas come from the young and creative minds of this generation,” he said.

“I plan on keeping the store as long as possible but it is not what I see myself doing. I hope to get into real-estate and I hope to hire high school age entrepreneurs to run the store giving them the experience they need,” Bissell said.

Brandon Murray-Pecka, Bissell’s right hand man and staff member, said, “The goal for this store is to showcase some of the great used pieces alongside their amazing upcycled pieces, also to grow the store both in size and numbers.”

The store does not have a workshop but the staff will still work out of the storage units, it will just be used as a place to display the work.

“We run Facebook ads once a week,” Murray-Pecka said.

“Due to the reasonable prices, people have fallen in love with this company. A refinished dresser, the most popular item, is about $150,” said Anthony Favazzo, a current MHS student working at the store.

“Not only will Bissell Design be a place where customers can come get great ideas, but they can also place custom orders. “We can do just about anything one can dream of,” Bissell said.

The staff is making sure their store is open and welcoming to all the creative artists out there claims Bissell.

“This all started from selling bracelets on the street and now I’m opening my own store just at the age of 19. I can’t even begin to imagine what this company will achieve over the years,” Bissell said.

Former teacher of Bissell, Tina Monastero said “Bissell Design Company is not like every other chain furniture store. The key to their success is small friendly faces and the fact that the pieces all hold some type of meaning.”

“Every customer sees my face. I can tell them exactly where I got each piece and some pieces are very old and the story behind them is one’s imagination” Bissell said.

Bissell Design Co will be open Fridays 1-7, Saturdays 9-4, and Sundays 9-2.

“I hope to bring my home town crowd out to Eastlake to see what a Mayfield graduate is capable of doing,” said Bissell.