Baker's Furniture in Stafford Springs, Connecticut is closing its doors after 207 years in business. It is believed that they are the oldest furniture store in the country.
http://foxct.com/2015/03/27/oldest-furniture-store-in-america-shutting-its-doors-in-stafford-springs/
Wow, they were around WAY before the era of chain furniture stores. Honestly, chain furniture stores haven't seemed to be doing too well anyway. Levitz, Lane, Storehouse, RoomStore, Seaman's, Sears HomeLife, Oskar Huber... all these chains have died, and I'm sure there are a few others I forgot to name.
I predict Bob's Discount Furniture will go out of business, or at least retreat from the Delaware Valley that they just entered. Sure they are low-end, but there already is stiff competition for low-end furniture. Ashley Furniture and La-Z-Boy come to mind. On top of that, Raymour & Flanigan has some warehouse-style clearance outlet stores. One that I know of is only ten minutes from a Bob's.
A store that's been around long before any of us were even born? Amazing.
Quote from: Hudsons81 on June 03, 2015, 11:19:33 AM
A store that's been around long before any of us were even born? Amazing.
Who is "us"? Stores from the 1920s/early 1930s aren't too terribly hard to find, but yes this one well over 200 (not 100) years old really takes the cake.
"....Hurry in today! No money down, no payments till 1837!" ;D
Quote from: TheFugitive on June 03, 2015, 01:03:05 PM
"....Hurry in today! No money down, no payments till 1837!" ;D
Man, even 1937 seems like an eternity ago to us boomers...
And just think, that 207-year-old furniture store has been losing its lease for at least 200 of them! Anyway, Bob's doesn't seem to be shrinking; in fact, they're about to enter the Chicago market. That isn't to say they will be successful in their expansion, but the owners seem to think there's a niche for them in these markets they're entering. We have a local chain called Chapter 11 Furniture that always seems to be losing their leases and advertising rock-bottom prices on no-name furniture. Reminds me of the old Nationwide Warehouse chain (which also did business as "National Warehouse" in the Delaware Valley.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7qe-bTejcg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7qe-bTejcg)
Quote from: Marc B on June 03, 2015, 10:19:19 AM
Baker's Furniture in Stafford Springs, Connecticut is closing its doors after 207 years in business. It is believed that they are the oldest furniture store in the country.
http://foxct.com/2015/03/27/oldest-furniture-store-in-america-shutting-its-doors-in-stafford-springs/
Baker's had some good furniture... I hope someone will figure out how to buy the name...and restart Baker's