J.P. and Scott Perryman, Franciscan Interiors
Franciscan Interiors is a full-service design consultation and furniture manufacturing company, producing custom fabric window treatments, upholstered furniture, and fabric wall coverings, as well as refurbishing and reupholstering services. “We were among the first in the industry to adopt sustainable options like organic cotton linings and sustainably harvested woods,” says Scott Perryman, 46, who owns the business with his father, J.P Perryman. “Sustainability is important to us, and people in San Francisco believe in it.”
When did you start? “I founded the company in 1973 on Mission Street, in the Excelsior district, with two employees doing reupholstery,” says J.P. Perryman, 74. “Over time we added custom work and window treatments — anything that has to do with fabrics. We moved to our current location in the Bayview in 2000.” The company now has 12 employees working out of a 4,600-square-foot facility.
Why manufacture in San Francisco? “For the people who can afford it, there is demand for ‘made in San Francisco products,’ ” J.P. says.
“Over the years, we’ve been through some rough patches — we died in 2008 during the recession,” Scott says. “But we’ve diversified into other areas, like window and wall coverings, to keep it viable. And we get a lot of repeat and word-of-mouth business.”
What makes it challenging? “Costs have risen — both cost of materials, and the cost of living for employees,” says J.P. Finding employees with the right skill set isn’t easy either. J.P. says, “Upholstery is a lost art, and our products demand a level of skilled labor that is not easy to come by.” Franciscan participates in SFMade’s YouthMade internship program to give high school students a chance to see whether they might have an aptitude for upholstering.
Family matters “It’s been an absolute pleasure to have my son in the business,” the senior Perryman says. “The idea of legacy has always struck a chord with me,” his son says. “Working in a family business makes it more of a lifestyle than a job, and that’s the way I prefer it to be.”
Where will you be in another five years? “We’ll still be here. It’s too much fun and way too interesting to stop,” Scott says. “We’ve seen demand grow by 20 to 25 percent in the past year; we need to make some decisions about our expansion plan. Our product isn’t just price-driven, it’s also about how fast we can make it. And I tell people, luxury takes time.”
Says his father with a wide grin, “I’ll be on the golf course.”