Loren Kreiss would tell you that his new venture is not a revival but an evolution of a longtime Los Angeles brand.

The fourth generation chief executive of Kreiss Furniture, the family company that closed its doors in 2013 after 74 years in business, Kreiss is gearing up for the opening of his flagship store in West Hollywood this week.

He said the high-end home furnishings label, known for attracting celebrity clientele such as Michael Jordan, Bruce Springsteen, and Diana Ross, will still offer customers its signature California look.

“I don’t want it to be a reinvention,” Kreiss said. “I want it to be a continuation. It’s a matter of refining and updating; the look is classic and relevant.”

Getting back into the retail business is significant for a brand that stopped operating three years ago following a Chapter 11 bankruptcy and the death of Kreiss’ grandfather, Norman, and father, Michael, who served as chairman and chief executive, respectively.

Taking over

Kreiss was able to purchase the exclusive global rights to the brand, designs, and intellectual property through bankruptcy court, though he declined to disclose how much he paid. But Kreiss acknowledged it wasn’t an easy process, suggesting there was pushback from other family members also vying for the business.

“It was a struggle,” Kreiss, 35, said. “Families can be complicated, but it’s much easier for consumers to understand continuity. I wanted to continue the legacy of my family. I also was deeply involved with the company. It’s all I know.”

He said its new 6,500-square-foot showroom on the corner of La Cienega Boulevard and Rosewood Avenue will look like an art gallery with its open floorplan and large windows.

“What we provide for a lot of our clients is a warm inviting look that works in very contemporary settings,” he said. “Our showroom is built to be a very contemporary art gallery aesthetic and the juxtaposition with our look really sings.”

Kreiss Furniture was founded by Kreiss’ great-grandfather Murray in 1939, originally selling novelty ceramic items including odd characters such as a statue of a red fuzzy-haired man with droopy eyes called Mr. Beatnik.

The business evolved to designing and selling high-end furniture known for its casual but refined look. Murray’s son, Norman, and his wife, Eileen, opened the company’s first showroom on Melrose Avenue in 1966.

Bottom drops

By 2005, the company hit a peak of 25 showrooms in the United States and one in Dubai with annual revenue of $43 million, according to bankruptcy documents.

But the economic downturn hit the flourishing company hard, forcing it to close eight showrooms. Norman’s health was also failing, and he died in 2011. His son, Michael, died from cancer about six months later.

Loren Kreiss, who was serving as the company’s director of operations and managing its East Coast expansion, moved back home to be close to his father.

The loss of the company’s top two executives coupled with slowing sales made it harder to keep the business afloat.

“It had a deep personal toll, but obviously a deep effect on the business,” he said.

The company filed for bankruptcy in 2013 and ceased operations the following year.

Kreiss relaunched the brand in October 2014 selling a mixture of old and new designs directly to consumers through the company’s website – a process made possible thanks to his connections with the company’s manufacturers. The pieces are manufactured throughout North America, with some facilities manufacturing exclusively for Kreiss. Loren, who is also the company’s creative director, runs the company with his wife, Kate, its sales director and VIP client manager.

Kreiss said sales have been strong so the next logical step was to open a showroom. He declined to state company revenue but said it has not received outside investment.

“Our direct-to-consumer was working great,” he said. “But we wanted to expand beyond our existing customers.”

The shop will sell sofas, sectionals, dressers, home accessories, lighting, as well as new products including original artwork, bed linens, and area rugs. Prices range from less than $1,000 for accessories to as much as $30,000 for its premier U-shaped sectional.

“The hope is existing customers will feel right at home and new customers will immediately understand what we provide,” he said.