Even though the current economy is not an opportune time to start a new business, many entrepreneurs are finding it a great time to expand their services and take advantage of increasing demand in niche markets.

Right At Home, a furniture and home accessories shop on Bonanza Drive, began Right At Home Entertains last fall which rents fancy glassware, dishes, table top designs and more.

Co-owner Eileen Mullane said she noticed that as people tried harder to get the most for their money when hosting a special event they were unhappy with glassware rentals.

Most places that do it are in Salt Lake City, don’t deliver, don’t have the nicest stuff and make it difficult to only order a few dozen of something.

“A light bulb went on and we realized that we could do that,” she said.

Mullane said Right at Home Entertains started slowly, but snowballed. Demand for it was huge during Christmas and the Sundance Film Festival, she said. It’s also been popular with non-profit groups hosting special events or fundraisers.

They can handle events with up to 150 people, but said she’s very proud to offer sets of wine glasses of only 25 or 50 for smaller events. Mullane said she enjoys hosting small cocktail parties herself inside her home and never has enough glasses, but never needs enough to call a caterer. The whole point of the endeavor is to fill that glassware or flatware need when people need something easy.

Right at Home co-owner Marion Boland said her favorite thing about their new service is the quality of the items. She said they have serving dishes that are so nice they double as center pieces.

“If used for food down a long table, they can add nice staggered heights along the center of table to add that visual variety. They’re great, great quality,” she said.

People can pick up their order at the shop, or Right at Home can deliver it.

Client Nann Worel said she loves that. Worel said she’s rented glassware and flatware from a variety of companies in different parts of the country and said this is “heads and shoulders” above what she’s seen elsewhere.

“It’s fabulous. (The items are) so unique, upscale and high quality it makes you proud to use it and doesn’t feel like using rentals,” she said. “These are absolutely beautiful.”

Right at Home Entertains does stemware, flatware, plates, soup bowls, tables and chairs, linens, serving pieces and more. The company is also located in Salt Lake City.