10.22.2009 — At first, Audio Video Experience's showroom on busy Route 1 in Hampton Falls, N.H. might seem incongruous.

The 3,700-square-foot facility looks like an old, quaint New England home from the outside. But on the inside, it's a high-tech cornucopia of equipment in multiple lifestyle vignette rooms.

Like many older New England homes, the showroom sits very close to the edge of the highway. In this case, that's good. The large front window facing the highway has an attention-getting QSonix Digital Music Server jukebox in it. The unit's bright lights glow quite a distance up the highway at night. In the summer when Route 1 is a traffic jam of beachgoers, customers will come in the showroom just to see what it is, according to Andy Himmer, president of AVE.

The adjoining living room with a fireplace has a "control wall" filled with interfaces, a "speaker selection" wall, and a Sonos multiroom audio system. The wall purposely has a bit of a "retail" feel to it so customers feel comfortable playing with the knobs. The room also has two flat panels, including a Pioneer Elite behind a Vutec screen above the fireplace, and a NuVision flat panel on a Chief mount with an Artison Soundbar.

Tucked in the rear of the facility is a fully dedicated theater room decked out with a welcoming popcorn machine just outside the entrance.

The 12-by-20-foot "sports room" upstairs includes two NuVision flat panels and an Epson front projector. The Berkline seats are sure to please any New England sports fan with themes from the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics.

The adjacent 10-by-12-foot "listening room" includes speakers from Parasound and Snell controllable with a UEI Nevo remote.

Other mainstay brands at AVE include Runco, ButtKicker, Integra and Kaleidescape.

Himmer talks about the difference the showroom has made to the company.

What made AVE decide to move to the current showroom location?

We had grown beyond our previous location and needed room to display our talents. I was looking to position AVE into an affluent area to grow our image.

What was the hardest part of getting the building suitable to be your showroom?

Finding the right mix of traffic and curb appeal. I wanted the character of the New England home, great demographics, and location not cluttered by the strip mall. We found curb appeal, a main travel route for year-round and vacation residences, lots of visibility and our own lot with plenty of parking.

How did the staff respond to the project?

Our staff understood the company's vision and were excited.

Who did the design/layout?

The design and room layout was my vision, with the help of office and design staff.

How much did it cost?

The real estate was roughly $550,000. Approximately, the renovation and updates were $100,000 and the electronics were another $125,000.

How long did it take?

I started the planning and zoning board process in April 2008. And I took possession of the real estate in July and on the fast track, our doors were open in December 2008.

Has it met your expectations?

It's provided us a great venue to display the best of breed products. Clients tour our showroom like a design center and they really get it. The technology is integrated into real life rooms that look and feel like home. It provides the experience customers have been looking for and missing from old-school hi-fi and big-box retail stores.

Are you seeing a higher average ticket sale than you did before?

Yes. We can show solutions that most clients have only seen in pictures. They can touch, feel and experience the difference.