Page 24 - Lighting Magazine July 2018

LTIVING THE DREAM
here was never a question in Chris Titizian’s mind about what he wanted to be when he grew up.
“Someone who makes my Dad proud,” Chris says. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted to be.”
Chris is the founder and president of Avenue Lighting, a high-end lighting man- ufacturer based in Southern California. His Armenian parents came to the U.S. from Canada in the late 1970s.
“My father started out with nothing,” he explains. “He had broken English and very li le money, but he had determina- tion. He got a job at a lighting shop and worked his way up to managing the res- torations and repairs.”
Eventually, he opened his own store, HYE Lighting, in Tarzana, Calif. Chris and his older brother and sister helped out a er school and, like their father, devel- oped a passion for the lighting industry. When Chris was old enough to drive, he o ered to run deliveries.
“I was bringing a custom-made shade to a client of ours in Pasadena,” he re- calls. “When I got there, I asked for the store manager. The owners told me he had just quit, and I remember smiling and thinking to myself, ‘Oh really?’”
Not only was the Pasadena showroom
Chris, Taleen, Sonia, John, Owen, Giana, and Gavin Titizian.
“Someone who makes my Dad proud, that’s all I’ve ever wanted to be.”—Chris Titizian
in need of management, it was for sale. With his father’s support, Chris pur- chased M & M Lampshade & Lighting at the age of 17.
“My dad knew I didn’t want to contin- ue with college,” he says. “I wasn’t your typical teenager...I was restless. I wanted to be an entrepreneur. My dad knew this was where my heart was.”
The opportunity changed the trajec- tory of Chris’ life for the be er, but it wasn’t always an easy ride. While others his age were busy with dating, self-explo- ration, and university exams, Chris ran a business with an hour commute each way. Not to mention, his love for lighting continued to grow in tandem with an un- deniable and uneasy feeling.
“I saw a void in the industry,” he explains. “I wanted to create my own product and make new designs. I wanted to do things that didn’t exist. This burning feeling only grew, and I knew deep down I was destined for something greater.”
Chris eventually sold M & M and be- gan working alongside his brother and sister, who had purchased HYE Lighting from their father. Business was boom- ing, and the store was bringing in more sales than ever. The opportunity gave Chris the creative space to continue pursuing his dreams and start a family with his wife, Taleen, and their triplets; Owen, Gavin, and Giana. He spent the rest of his 20s juggling diaper changes and traveling overseas to design unique and exciting collections.
At age 34, Chris and his wife launched their own business, Avenue Lighting, whose name and overall design concept is inspired by their passion for travel.
“Each collection represents a favorite region of ours, or a famous street or boulevard,” he explains, adding their ecofriendly line is named a er Chicago’s Cermak – dubbed the greenest street in
America; the Glacier Collection features hand-cut Aspen crystals; and their Old Hollywood Collection is full of vintage glitz and glam.
Avenue Lighting debuted at Dallas Market Center in 2012 and Chris de- scribes the experience as one of the best of his career.
“I grew up going to Dallas Market,” he says. “It was an incredible feeling to be back with my very own showroom and my own pieces, but we had a rocky start. It was the second day and still no one was buying. I was honestly thinking about leaving when Dave McKee and Walter Gallagher from Sea le Lighting gave me my rst order. It was a consid- erable purchase, and I will never forget their generosity and willingness to take a chance on me.”
A er the debut in Dallas, things for Avenue took o .
Chris began doubling production. The company’s lighting xtures began gracing Macy’s department stores, Lane Bryant showrooms, and major hospitality proj- ects including the Marrio , Hilton, Hard Rock Hotel, and Starbucks. In just a few years, Chris was forced to upgrade his 4,000-sq.- . warehouse for one more than four times its size.
“It sometimes feels like it happened overnight, but I’ve been working for this my whole life,” he says, crediting his suc- cess to exceptional customer service and keeping up with design trends and new LED technology. Still, Chris assures he’s only begun to scratch the surface.
“We have some beautiful new collec- tions and exciting projects in the works,” he explains. “I’m grateful to have the op- portunity to pursue my passion and that my father is able to see my success. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do for my greatest hero.”
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