Photo courtesy of Social Design Supply Co.
Social Design Supply Co. is a Scottsdale-based e-commerce platform offering curated, design-forward furnishings specifically for restaurants and hospitality spaces. Built by industry professionals, the platform gives restaurant and hotel operators access to high-quality pieces that meet both aesthetic expectations and the durability required for daily commercial use.
“After years of designing restaurants, I kept seeing the same challenge: operators with great taste struggling to find furniture that looked incredible but could actually withstand the wear and tear of daily service,” relates Nicole Herman, co-founder and chief creative officer at Social Design Supply Co. “There was a clear gap between residential-style pieces that didn’t hold up and direct access for restaurant owners who wanted to design their spaces with quality pieces designers have exclusive access to. We created Social Design Supply Co. to bridge that gap and provide a trusted, design-driven sourcing solution.”One of Herman’s biggest challenges has been building a new brand while also being the principal designer and owner of a very busy boutique interiors studio. “We approached this by staying focused on clarity — curating a tight, intentional product offering and leaning on our experience to move quickly and make smart decisions,” she says. “By grounding the business in real-world hospitality needs, we’ve been able to build something that resonates immediately with our audience.”
With deep roots in Arizona’s hospitality, construction and branding industries, Social Design Supply Co. founders Nicole Herman, Emily Ganem and Sarah Bell bring decades of combined experience to the platform. They launched the company in 2024 “with more than 100 curated products from trusted vendors, with each piece selected for durability, performance and cohesive design,” Herman relates.
Herman says she took to heart the advice to build something rooted in real experience, not theory. “Because this platform came directly from years in hospitality design, we’ve stayed focused on solving a genuine problem — making sourcing easier, smarter and more design-forward for operators.”
Looking ahead, Herman says the brand is expanding through collaborations with local makers and planning a future Scottsdale showroom to complement its online presence.
