Extended Interview: Willard Ford
Long gone is the era of single careers. In 2005, Willard Ford left the world of non-profits to follow his passion for furniture and design. He launched FordBrady in downtown Los Angeles with designer John Brady. Earlier this year, Ford relaunched the company as Ford&Ching with Andrea Ching and plans to open a showroom in Oakland, California. The goal, however, is still the same: to bring high design to our living room.
As a child, what did you want to do?
I went to school to be a teacher and actually did do that for a while.
How did you end up in the old Kim Sing Theatre?
I’d seen movies here when I was little. It had been abandoned for about 20 years and I bought it dirt cheap. I decided to live here and needed to quickly figure out how to afford to do that, which is part of why we started the company.
Is Los Angeles a good place to sell contemporary design?
It’s probably one of the worst, actually. Los Angeles peaked with mid-century-modern design and that continues to take up most of the market. We’re trying to open the market to a wider perspective that includes new ideas about furniture and design.
Does your location in Los Angeles make a different?
We don’t get the casual architects or designers walking through but we get enough people here through events. We partner with people and companies in various walks of life, which is an opportunity to reach out to new people. You can’t just sit back and talk to just designers and expect to do well L.A. It’s a very tight market and if you’re going to conduct business here it’s important to sell in multiple markets.
What’s best about your job?
The most interesting part is the people we interact with. Furniture intersects with lifestyle and lifestyle is art, music, theater, and so much more. We meet people from all backgrounds.
Chairwalker by Singh Intrachooto
Is there an object that changed how you think about design?
When we first started sourcing products, we were introduced to the idea of green furniture by designer Singh Intrachooto. We hadn’t considered green issues when purchasing for our business, but now about half of our products are sustainable.
What’s your most recent purchase?
Wood coasters from Sam Moyer, one of our designers.
What’s your favorite item you sell?
The Ted daybed or anything by Semigood Design.
What are you currently longing for?
A couch—but I don’t know which one.
Rian Collection end table by Semigood Design
How do you define “good design”?
It’s usable and matches your personal aesthetic. I also like easily recognizable materials like metal or wood.
What are your criteria for selection an item to sell or a designer to work with?
People underestimate how much it costs to bring an idea to market, regardless of how good the idea. A designer has to come with a finished product in place, not just an idea and expectation that we’ll source the materials and manufacturers.
What makes a good customer?
People who come in to see something new. Those who want to buy the same Eames chair don’t want to talk about something new or made from recycled materials, only the Eames chair.
What’s next for Ford&Ching?
Getting more into contract work. We’re working on some restaurant and hotel projects we hope to see through.
Visit Ford&Ching online at fordandching.com.
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