Queen Bees of Logistics
The first time I stopped into Crown Warehouse, I was struck by the energy and amazing sense of humor of the identical twin sisters, Sharon and Sheryl Ness. These were women who moved a mile a minute but still managed to have fun on the job. The social dynamic between their staff was magnetic, and they were proud to give me a tour and share the way they implemented their values with their staff: paying a comfortable living wage, taking care to implement safety measures, and above all else, creating a culture of respect for everyone involved.
And honestly, it showed.
As we started working with Crown more and more, every delivery person we worked with was positive and upbeat — a really refreshing experience in an industry where many laborers and tradespeople work hard physical jobs without much thanks or appreciation.
The women behind the machine.
Crown receives anywhere between 150 to 600 pieces daily, with some days being extremely busy. They have 3 to 4 trucks out each day delivering.
Now years later, Crown Warehouse has become an integral part of our business. They not only unbox and inspect each piece that arrives for defects or damage, they often are able to repair pieces right onsite with the wizard-like talents of their team member, Beto. Their delivery crew provides high caliber white glove service, assembling each piece in the home, troubleshooting any issues that may arise, and hauling away to recycle as much of the waste as possible. We simply could not deliver such an exceptional experience to our clients without their attention to detail and clear communication.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN:
Sharon and Sheryl started Crown Warehouse in 2002! Sharon worked for another receiving warehouse but realized there was considerable room for improvement, so they decided to start their own business. Crown grew to become the Twin Cities' premier white glove receiving and delivery service for the design community.
When it came time for succession planning as they considered retirement, the sisters wanted to find another kick-ass woman to take over. Enter Sue Gartner, who took over in 2020 and has continued to grow and expand the business.
Sue is an Interior Designer herself and understands how important it is for expertise in receiving, storing and delivering high-end furniture. Sue has plans to double the warehouse this summer and add 3 more trucks to their fleet. Sue has hired several women to her staff and feels their attention to detail has made a world of difference at Crown.
Today, Crown receives anywhere between 150 to 600 pieces daily, with some days being extremely busy. They have 3 to 4 trucks out each day delivering. Sue says, “Our core value is to Deliver Excellence and we do this by being ONE TEAM! We are all here to help and take care of each other! I am so thankful and appreciative of the hard work and amazing teamwork that goes on each day!”
