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The Home Specialty Store was voted the "Best of Virginia" for home decor by Virginia Living Magazine's readers in 2012, 2013, and again in 2015. In 2016, the store was featured in the Arlington Magazine's Test of Time section as an award-winning, long standing local business. |
Who We Are Owners, Wayne & Lynn Baker have spent the past 24 years dedicated to this award-winning, home décor concept. Wayne spent his early years as both National Sales Manager & VP of Sales at Baldwin Hardware Corporation in Reading, PA. He was a key component in developing and implementing BALDWIN’s national showroom network & distributor training programs. “We were the first in our industry to create consumer brand awareness for quality door hardware. Superior product displays, intensive sales training, and a wide array of coordinated products targeted specifically at discerning homeowners, were the elements that fueled Baldwin’s rapid success”, he explained. After leaving BALDWIN, he and wife Lynn, launched The Home Specialty Store in 1996 using a similar philosophy, across a much wider base of products, from many different manufacturers. Wayne has an unmatched expertise in the door hardware industry and the products therein. Lynn’s background in social work, is evident in her relationship skills with customers. She has a relaxing, uncomplicated way of making new customers feel like old friends. She possesses an extensive knowledge of cabinet hardware and enjoys guiding her customers through the complexities of design, function and overall value. Married for over 40 years, Wayne & Lynn are both alumni of Virginia universities JMU and Mary Washington. They have three daughters that all attended Virginia schools as well. What We Do The Baker's take great pride in getting the details right the first time. It’s a rare quality that comes from decades of serving a clientele that values industry-specific expertise. Their customers appreciate how they take the time to evaluate a crowded field of competitive products prior to selecting those that meet their high standards for overall value. Unmatched product selection, unrivaled expertise, competitive pricing and an old-fashioned, approach in face-to-face customer service, are the hallmarks that define both the Baker's themselves and how they run their business. Whether it’s Lynn’s design skills or Wayne’s locksmithing services, they are quick to tell you that success is built one satisfied customer at a time by exceeding a customer expectations and making the buying experience easy. "It’s typical for a client to get blinded by the overwhelming number of choices in this industry. My job is to take all of the details specific to each room and blend them into a coordinated theme that my customer feels comfortable with, as an integral part of their home,” says Lynn. “I like to think of fine hardware as jewelry for the home. When it’s done right, people notice!" The company has always been about finding product niches that aren’t being served well. From furniture, lamps, wall décor, silk florals, sculpture and gifts ... to hand-crafted door & cabinet hardware, locksets, bath accessories, mirrors, faucets, stone water features, copper weathervanes, custom blacksmith-made pieces, and even a few unusual antiques ... are just some of what you find in their unique showrooms. Stop in and see for yourself why they have been repeatedly voted "Best of Virginia" in home decor!
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