STOREFRONT: Health care equipment in home-like setting
Cherry Hill natives Seth Auerbach and Larry Schreiber teamed up three years ago to boost a business that had been in Auerbach's family since the 1980s.
Komfort & Kare , a supplier of home medical equipment and supplies, opened its latest showroom Saturday on the White Horse Pike in Magnolia.
"We had been in Westmont on Cuthbert Boulevard," says Auerbach, a former dotcomer who runs operations. "This used to be an auto body shop, and we totally gutted it. We're very excited to see this come together."
Schreiber, who manages business development and sales, says the partnership has reaped numerous rewards.
"We came together for the business, but now we're like family," he notes. "This has been Seth's dream, and it's exciting to see his dream come true."
K&K offers products including walkers, canes, motorized scooters and wheelchairs, braces, compression stockings, bed trays, pillows and specialized lounge chairs. Customized bras and prostheses for women with breast cancer are also available.
The store provides customers a hands-on experience in a home-like setting.
There are areas for product testing, including a mobility track for walkers and wheelchairs, a staircase with a working stair glider, and a model bathroom. There's a custom orthopedic bracing suite where individuals can be examined before braces are manufactured in the store.
And, jutting out of one wall is the back half of an SUV, with a motorized chairlift attached to the bumper for customers to try.
"I had that idea forever," Auerbach claims. "And then Larry comes along and we get it done just like that."
Auerbach and Schreiber say they've utilized local folks to bring Seth's dream to fruition.
Jason Wolf and Leor Hemo of Marlton's Wolf Commercial Real Estate brokered the deal on the 7,000-square-foot site. Moorestown's Architectural Fabrication Group created the store's innovative environment.
"And our landscaper is right next door," says Schreiber. "It's all about keeping it in the community."
Most of all, it's about the customers, adds Auerbach.
"Seniors, or people with disabilities, want to stay in their homes," he notes.
"We can renovate a home at a much more reasonable price than what a nursing home costs. We can provide an efficient option for those who don't want to go to a nursing home.
"In addition," he continues, "there's a crisis now in terms of affordable care for seniors. And it's just going to get worse with the baby boomer population exploding."
Komfort & Kare also can provide financing for higher-end renovations and equipment.
"We're working through a healthcare broker with 13 different lenders," Schreiber says.
"As part of our service and consultation, we work with the customer to help them understand what their insurance will cover and what kind of financing they can get."
"We take our time talking with folks," adds Schreiber. "We'll sit with you for 45 minutes or whatever it takes. Our staff is trained on the business end, but they're also compassionate.
"People come in and they're scared. Our staff will make sure they feel comfortable."
K&K currently employs 12, but that number is sure to grow, according to Schreiber.
"We'll be ramping up our workers," he predicts. "This is our pilot store, but we plan on opening multiple sites. This is the future."
Komfort & Kare is at 424 North White Horse Pike. Call (856) 854-3100.
Also on the healthcare front: Dr. Kara Conliffe, a Cherry Hill resident and practicing physician, has opened a home healthcare company in the township.
Executive Care "provides a platform to be a difference maker, while launching a business that I can grow because of the strong demand for our services," says Conliffe.
The new Executive Care office aims to bring up to 50 new jobs to the region in the next two years, and is looking to expand the home care agency's reach.
The office is 1807 Springdale Road. Call (856) 424-5555.
Reach Joe Cooney at (609) 332-5524 or jcooney@courierpostonline.com. Follow him on Twitter @cp_JoeCooney.