Family Business

Based on quality, service and design, Cartwright Lighting & Furniture consistently ranks number one in Calgary. For Tony VandeKraats and his family, who run the store, having the best selection and the highest quality service is always a top priority. Over the years, Cartwright has become a part of the VandeKraats family and, with a family member at the store at most times, this has translated into great customer service and experienced management.

This family business dynamic is palpable in the energy of the store. Walking in to Cartwright Lighting & Furniture's showroom on any given day there are over 10 knowledgeable and experienced staff on hand, but the feeling of an invested, warm, family business remains. The staff is warm, energetic and creates a genuine sense in the store that they enjoy what they do and care about doing a good job. This dedication has helped Cartwright Lighting & Furniture earn ten consecutive Consumer Choice Awards for business excellence.

Buying Power

Being situated in a 45,000 square foot facility has given Cartwright Lighting & Furniture an edge over its competitors on a number of fronts. First, it allows the store to show more product in its comprehensive showroom - which is the largest lighting showroom in Western Canada - than any other competitor. Second, it allows the store to carry a tremendous amount of inventory.

And if the product a customer needs is not in Cartwright's extensive warehouse, it may only be a few days' wait away. Cartwright's sister store, Park Lighting & Furniture, is Edmonton's largest lighting store and carries very similar inventory to its Calgary counterpart. So if Cartwright's warehouse does not have a product, it may be in Park’s 35,000 square foot facility and can be shipped to Calgary in a matter of days. With this much room to carry stock, Cartwright can purchase product by the container rather than in small quantities, and thus receive great prices on certain items. This buying power has enabled Cartwright to negotiate deals with its suppliers, which can then be passed on to its customers.

Catering to a Variety of Needs

Whether you are a general customer, homebuilder, contractor, designer, or electrician, Cartwright Lighting & Furniture has the technical knowledge, product, organizational capacity and strong commitment to exceptional customer service that is necessary to serve your needs - no matter what your budget level. Both the purchaser and the sales staff keep this philosophy in mind when a few members of the Cartwright team make a bi-annual trip to the Dallas Lighting Market. It is here that they are able to keep abreast of new products, new trends, and seek out specialty pricing. So whether it's a traditional, transitional, contemporary, provincial, mission, or hi-tech look you seek, options abound.

As the tastes and preferences of the Alberta population continue to evolve, it is essential for Cartwright Lighting & Furniture's staff to remain educated on existing types of lighting as well as new developments in the industry. This is the only way the staff can provide the best service for their customers. For this reason some members of the sales team have become certified Lighting Specialists by the American Lighting Association, an association that teaches the expert techniques of how to properly and efficiently light a home.

More than just Lights

Cartwright Lighting & Furniture's commitment to exceptional customer service extends beyond the sales staff. Having service people on hand to answer questions, follow up with products or installation, or make repairs on older fixtures, means customers are not left on their own-even when they leave the store.

In addition, everything that isn't nailed down in the store is for sale. Furniture, artwork, vases, rugs and Christmas decorations constitute just a few of the things you might be surprised to find on the showroom floor. Having art pieces and decorations mutually accenting each other creates the vision of a complete package for consumers and design professionals.

Community Oriented

Thanks to the excellent staff and the loyalty of their customer base, Cartwright Lighting & Furniture has grown into a flourishing local business and has, as a result, been able to give thousands of dollars to various charities close to their hearts.

Four Saturdays a year, Cartwright Lighting & Furniture and Park Lighting & Furniture donate the sum total of the day’s sales of each store to one of its chosen causes. Over the last few years, thousands of dollars have been donated to help the Firefighters Burn Victim Society, fight AIDS in Africa through CRWRC, help fund homes and services for the mentally and physically challenged through Rehoboth, and mitigate world hunger.