![](/SHT/Home/Images/sht0512SHTProfile_LeighSuffian.jpg)
Leigh
Suffian at Atlas Supply’s first off-site showroom, Immerse.
After 75 years in the plumbing wholesale industry, St. Louis-basedAtlas Supplycould’ve just patted itself on the back. Instead, the third-generation company opened its first showroom,Immerse, and has made big strides in the St. Louis market. PartnerLeigh Suffianrecently talked to Supply House Times about Atlas’ history and its future with Immerse.
Supply House Times: What made 2012 the right time to get into the showroom business?
LS:We’ve been in the residential business for a long time and we sold a lot of these products, but we’ve never had an off-site showroom. Really, our vendors and our customers have wanted us to do this for awhile. With their desire for us to do this escalating, and with plumbing product trends becoming more of a fashion item, it just seemed like this trend was going to keep going up and up. It was really time for us to comply.Supply House Times: Did you seek out any advice during the planning and building of Immerse?
LS:We did because we’re a trade showroom. While the public can come in and look - and we do encourage that - they can’t buy here. Their plumber, contractor, designer or trade professional has to do the actual purchasing. It was really important for us to find out what our customers wanted to see here.![](/SHT/Home/Images/sht0512SHTProfile_Shower.jpg)
Immerse
features a working shower column where customers can see the style and
performance of various showerheads.