SOLANA BEACH -- Finding craftsman-style home furnishings in San Diego County -- where home decor often has more of a Spanish influence -- can be challenging.

In fact, it was Tom Gerardy's own experience trying to buy craftsman items that led him to open Craftsman Revival Home Furnishings in Solana Beach. Several years ago, Gerardy and his wife, Tarey, were remodeling their Del Mar home in the craftsman style when they ran into a problem: where to find furnishings.

"We looked around, and there was nothing," Gerardy said. A lifelong entrepreneur, Gerardy saw the inconvenience as an opportunity, and in early 2000 began talking to the suppliers he met on shopping trips to the Los Angeles area.

He signed distribution contracts before either fully developing a business plan or choosing the location for his store. Instead, he decided to test-run the idea. In spring 2000, he rented a booth at the Save Our Heritage Organisation's annual Craftsman and Spanish Revival Weekend in San Diego. Customers responded so well, he said, that he knew he was on the right track.

A few months later, he found space in the Lomas Santa Fe Shopping Center and moved in. Since then, Gerardy said, "We've grown as fast as we can keep up."

Craftsman Revival carries a variety of furniture, from headboards and bench seats to dressers and dining tables. It has a large selection of rugs, Tiffany-style lamps and such accessories as pottery, wall tiles and gift items.

The store was originally 1,800 square feet, but in 2003, it expanded to 3,200 square feet. Craftsman Revival is in the middle of yet another expansion that will increase its square footage to 4,300. Gerardy expects to open the new space on May 1.

"Our intention is to expand our inventory to bring in some new lines," Gerardy said.

He projects that the expansion will help Craftsman Revival's gross sales reach $1.2 million in 2006.

"One of the things that has really helped us succeed is the personal relationships we have with our customers," Gerardy said. "We take care of our customers because we want them to come back."

That approach seems to be working -- Gerardy said that 90 percent of the company's business is from repeat customers.

One way the store works to serve its customers is hiring workers knowledgeable about interior design. In fact, all three of the store's employees are either graduates or current students at the Design Institute of San Diego and can help answer customers' design questions.

And for those customers wanting a little more help, Craftsman Revival offers in-store or on-site design consultations for both residential and commercial projects.

The company will have a booth at this year's Craftsman and Spanish Revival Weekend, which started Friday and runs through Sunday in San Diego. More information about the event, which is open to the public, is available on the Save Our Heritage Organisation's Web site at www.sohosandiego.org.

Contact freelance writer Kathryn Gillick at kgillick@gmail.com.

Standout Facts

Name: Craftsman Revival Home Furnishings

Address: 985-A Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach

Phone: (858) 259-5811

Year established: 2000

Products and services: Craftsman-style home furnishings

Number of employees: Three

Size: 3,200 square feet

Gross sales: $1.2 million projected for 2006