Arkansas Democrat-Gazette – 5.10.2009
The announcement that Eric Rob & Isaac, a Little Rock-based advertising agency, has been named the agency of record for I.O. Metro of Bentonville, draws attention to another small Arkansas company that is doing well.
I.O. Metro, founded in 2005, is a specialty furniture retailer that sells imported furniture and accessories in 14 stores across the Midwest. It opened its first store in Bentonville in 2005 and has expanded to stores in Fayetteville, Rogers, Little Rock, Jonesboro, Memphis, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Columbia and Kansas City, Mo.; Jackson, Miss.; and Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, Ala.
I.O. Metro was founded by Jay Howard, now the chief executive officer. It recently opened its 14th store, in Dallas, with plans for additional store openings this fall.
Eric Rob & Isaac is a relatively new ad agency, founded in 2004 by Eric Lancaster, Rob Bell and Isaac Alexander.
Bell said I.O. Metro is known for cutting-edge contemporary furniture. He said the ad agency will “reintroduce†consumers to I.O. Metro’s niche in the furniture industry.