Readers’ Advocate

About Levenger
Established: 1987
Headquarters: Delray Beach, FL
Merchandise sold: high-end reading and writing products; home and personal accessories
Annual circulation: about 26 million
Sales channels: catalog, retail, Internet
Customer demographics: 80 percent hold Bachelor’s degrees, and 45 percent hold advanced degrees.

How the catalog was started: In the 1980s, Leveen and his wife, Lori (an equal partner and founder in the company), realized there was not enough light for both of them to read in their small Boston condominium. Soon, their wheels began to turn, and they placed a 1˝ ad in The New Yorker in October 1987. The ad read: “Serious Lighting for Serious Readers.” Thus, Levenger’s first successful product was a reading light to be used in bed.

The couple combined their surnames of Granger and Leveen to form the company name, Levenger. They describe the catalog as the first “dedicated to serving readers with products.”

In time the product line expanded to other merchandise.

The early years: “Initially, there were many days consisting of no sales, no revenue or even negative sales,” he says. “There were a lot of sleepless nights in the first few years.”

Expanding the retail channel: Levenger has a retail store in its Florida headquarters. And this month the company will open a 2,300-square-foot shop on the first floor of the Marshall Field’s flagship store in Chicago.

Grew up: San Diego

Education and early experience: Graduated from the University of California, San Diego, with a B.A. in Biology. “I originally wanted to be a doctor,” he says. “I went from left to right field, I suppose.” He continued his studies at Cornell University, where he earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology.

His role at the catalog: Overall strategy. Daily operations are left to the “great people running the company.” Leveen also works on general product development, and Lori works on the human resources side.

Business role models: After reading a book by Stanley Marcus, chairman of Neiman Marcus, Leveen wrote him a fan letter, which led to a lasting friendship and mentoring relationship. “Marcus’ book demonstrated that being a merchant could be a noble profession — something well beyond just buying and selling merchandise,” says Leveen.

Another mentor: Ric Leichtung of Leichtung Workshops catalog. Leichtung became a friend and mentor who taught the Leveens the catalog business.

Keys to catalog success: Leveen believes the best direct marketing plan is to test ideas and concepts comprehensively and quickly, but with minimal financial outlay.

Favorite catalogs: “Williams- Sonoma, Pottery Barn and Chambers are all premiere examples of how to do multichannel retailing right,” says Leveen. “It’s difficult to do all channels well, and they’re the leaders.”

Fun fact: One of Leveen’s favorite Web sites is www.outdoorsports.com, from which he often buys kayaks. “Sometimes I feel like I need a 12-step program to help me stop buying them!”

Noelle Buoncristiano is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia.