Looking for potential manufacturers/suppliers of fine furniture

[JimTrail]

Hello;

My father and his brother used to make oak and cedar rocking chairs and porch swings. They sold them at a local [Knoxville, Tenn.] antique and collectible market that was held monthly; and at a farmers market.

Daddy had a stroke in 1995 and passed away after that. His brother passed away a few years later.

One of my older siblings lives in Savannah, Georgia. I live in Knoxville, Tennessee. We are print brokers. We sell business forms and checks to Knoxville and Savannah area businesses. The Savannah office also services the Hilton Head, South Carolina market.

We have a few customers, who own retail furniture shops, that buy forms from us.

We're starting to look around for manufacturers/suppliers of high end wooden furniture to offer wholesale to our existing customers and potential new retail customers. The big-time manufacturers already have their supply chains established. I figure that the best place to start would be with smaller shops.

At this point we are still just doing our research. If anyone knows of any shops that might like to do business with us feel free to respond to this thread or send me a private message.

Thanks.

 

[Willemjm]

Personally, I believe this will be a dead end.

The US exports lumber to Asia and in turn imports furniture, seeing American hands the first time when unpacked in the retail store or at the customer. Most who try to compete with a different approach fail as soon as capital dries up.

 

[Mike Davis]

The only way a small shop can compete is by dealing direct with the customer, supplying custom, high end or built to fit furniture that can not be mass produced.

 

[chris_goris]

I agree on both comments. Even the customers we do find to do custom work for dont really want to pay what it's worth anymore. So you end up seeing alot of really bad, built to fit, casework and furniture done at cut rate pricing. Heirloom furniture is a thing of the past, so it may actually be a better investment.

 

[jobelenus]

People are so used to the "Rooms to Go" model that most of the average buyers won't pay anything near what a real piece of furniture costs - I build furniture on Custom Made.com and even there, where people are specifically looking for something special and of high quality it is hard to educate folks as to what real furniture costs, in both materials and labor....I'd be happy to business with anyone - but not on a wholesale basis - my wholesale price would be much higher than retail costs that people are used to.

 

[JimTrail]

Gentlemen;

Thanks for responding to my question.

Wow. I didn't realize wooden furniture was made in China, too! A shop owner yesterday was telling me that China makes Persian rugs now. Next thing you know they'll be making Amish quilts over there.

Thanks again for the information.

 

[Mike Davis]

Yeah a company I worked with in the 90s had hand sewn quilts made over there, the samples looked great. Then we threw away a container load of garbage they sent as the production order.

 

[Woodmolds]

We're starting to look around for manufacturers/suppliers of "high end" wooden furniture to offer wholesale to our existing customers
Thanks.

Well I'm of a different camp. I think it's doable, but not with two middle men getting a cut, one maybe.

Tony

 

[Mike Davis]

Tony,

You have the space, machinery, experience and means to do this if anyone can.

 

[Skymaster]

Gentlemen;

Thanks for responding to my question.

Wow. I didn't realize wooden furniture was made in China, too! A shop owner yesterday was telling me that China makes Persian rugs now. Next thing you know they'll be making Amish quilts over there.

Thanks again for the information.

Didn't know furniture was made in China; Really? :icon_scra

 

[JimTrail]

Didn't know furniture was made in China; Really? :icon_scra

Not the hand crafted wood furniture, no. I didn't realize that.

But the stapled together things I would expect to be made somewhere like China. But heck, I am always learning new things.

 

[Skymaster]

China is the main reason most american furniture makers are no longer making furniture. Hand made anything is now akin to the do do bird :{ Ask me I know. The most common questions I hear first are: How cheap? How fast? Sorry this isnt Burger King or Mc Donalds

 

[jobelenus]

Second Reply - - As I said I am finding a small market on customade.com - since March I have gotten 12 jobs - nothing to retire on (especially since my learning curve on how to price things is a long one) - but there is a select group of people looking for hand made, high quality furniture and woodworking - ( I just landed a job for 2 relatively simple coffee tables for $2400)...But I do agree that the margin is thin so as it touches hands the maker's profit will go down...It's a tough call - if you can produce pieces that are hand made ( without all the handling-if that makes sense)then it is a possiblility

 

[JimTrail]

I joined the IHFRA (International Home Furnishings Representatives Association) so I could learn more about this business. A company called Alden Parkes is advertising for a salesman through the IHFRA service. They sell high end furniture. They say they manufacture and import high end case goods.


--- from advertisement for manufacturer's rep salesman ---

Alden Parkes is a fast growing manufacturer and importer of medium to high-end case goods. The company offers an extensive line of products, including upholstery, occasional tables, dining, cabinetry, bedrooms, mirrors, accessories and lighting. We are looking for highly motivated, skilled sales representatives.

---

If you look at their front page. Mouse over where it says "Collections." There is a drop-down menu that appears. Click on one of the collections "Chiffon," "Couture," "Derbyshire," "Durham," etc. and you can see the furniture that they offer.

http://aldenparkes.com/

They have got some really detailed wooden furniture. Look at the Derbyshire Sideboard and Tudor Chest under the Derbyshire and English Tudor drop down options. Are pieces like this made in China do you think?

You can look at the Google Maps for their address [4815 Executive Park Court, Suite 207 Jacksonville, FL 32216]. You can zoom in for a closer look. The outside does not look like what you'd expect to see for a manufacturing plant. It looks more like an office warehouse than a manufacturing plant.

 

[tarheelz]

Everything in our house worth anything is Henkel Harris or Craftique. Craftique is now gone.

Let's hear it for Henkel Harris!

 

[Splinter]

Maybe not what you would call "high end" furniture but there is still one manufacture of handmade furniture left in North Carolina. http://troutmanchairs.com/

We just purchased two of their rockers. Very well built and very comfortable. Their assembly technique does not use any glue.

President Kennedy owned 14 of their rockers, he even had one of Air Force 1 to help his cronic back problems. Two of his rockers were auctioned off for over $400,000.

 

[red]

Maybe not what you would call "high end" furniture but there is still one manufacture of handmade furniture left in North Carolina. http://troutmanchairs.com/

Looks like a nice rocker.

Red

 

[Vetteman9956]

Having been in business for almost 90 years, I can see how they can compete. I'm sure their overhead is pretty low because they own everything such as their facility, machinery, etc. Bet they haven't been bought by a private equity firm and had their debt run up and their profits skimmed off. This is the way all business should be done. Honest, fair, and they value the employees.

 

[Mark Gottesman]

Another maker of Handmade Rocking chairs in NC is "Woody's Chair Shop" http://www.woodyschairshop.com/wp/portfolio-item/visit-woodys-chair-shop/

Here is a video link http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xecfye_visit-woody-s-chair-shop-in-spruce_travel#.Ubzk_Ukp

Arval Woody was declared an NC Living Treasure several years ago.

 

[JimTrail]

Another maker of Handmade Rocking chairs in NC is "Woody's Chair Shop" http://www.woodyschairshop.com/wp/portfolio-item/visit-woodys-chair-shop/

Here is a video link http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xecfye_visit-woody-s-chair-shop-in-spruce_travel#.Ubzk_Ukp

Arval Woody was declared an NC Living Treasure several years ago.

That shop is similar to my dad's woodworking shop. Just like Arval he made rocking chairs. Daddy was starting to build up a pretty good customer base. But in 1995 he had a brain hemorrhage. He was 74 years old then. He didn't start doing well until his late sixties. I wish he had done better earlier in life.