From the Floor Up: Banana Manor founder leans into personality to promote newest venture
Industry veteran Scott McKearn started Banana Manor, a wholesale and direct-to-consumer rug venture based out of Louisiana.
Industry veteran Scott McKearn had an “aha” moment while watching “Bohemian Rhapsody,” the Freddie Mercury biopic, which helped guide the creation of his latest venture, Banana Manor.
In the film, McKearn noted that Mercury didn’t shine until he got on stage and let his personality come out. Along those lines, as he began developing the new brand, which offers rug and poufs for wholesale, private labeling and direct to consumer, McKearn decided to just be himself and brought lessons learned over the years while playing a role with Bramble Furniture, Dauphine Mirror Co., Flambeau Lighting, Gilded Nola and Lucas & McKearn, among others.
“My take away from it was what any artist needs to do is spend as much time in that zone. For me, I can’t sing, but my passion is concept development,” McKearn told me. “I love creating a brand and piecing together ideas and integrating them into one concept. It’s a canvas. You’re constantly tweaking and refining it and improving.”
As part of the concept, McKearn opted to go all-in on personality, naming products after 1970s and 1980s television