Len Lewin

Wow! Thank you so much for responding! I rarely check this email address, and honestly didn’t expect such a speedy response. We really appreciate you taking the time to help us out during our furniture quest!

I believe we are going to go with the Drexel furniture. Overall, we were just very happy with the quality. Below I have included my entry on my weblog. I thought you might like to know about our research and our review of the Furniture Mart.

Laura

Hickory Furniture Mart

What to bring with you?

Good walking shoes. You are going to be on your feet all day long here, with an occasional rest. Be prepared. This place is basically an indoor mall of furniture stores, comprised of four levels, which makes for a lot of walking.

A good mindset. If you don’t have a positive outlook and a good disposition, don’t go. Grumpiness is not going to help you when furniture shopping. Also, unless you are a veteran marathon furniture shopper, don’t go looking for furniture for an entire house. You will be overwhelmed.

A laptop computer with wireless capability. For us, this was great to have. At the coffee shop, we browsed the Internet, compared prices and called other stores closer to us to find out if we were getting good deals or not. If you are really wanting to make sure that you are getting the best deal possible, you will want to do some web browsing.

Supplies. Make sure to pick up a map at the entrance. Bring a pen, some paper and a tape measurer and measurements from home. Color swatches would be great to have if you are trying to match existing upholstery or curtains. I saw one man carrying around a pillow!

What not to bring with you?

Children. Let’s face it. Adults can be miserable furniture shopping, why torture kids too?

Drinks and snacks. There’s a restaurant on premises. If you don’t want to hassle with bringing along food, just order up at the restaurant. (We packed sandwiches, so I don’t know how expensive the food was, or what was on the menu) The coffee shop on the first floor not only offers coffee drinks (and wifi), but spirits as well. If you just need a snack, several of the stores offer freshly baked cookies, Coca-Cola in little glass bottles and water - all complementary. It definitely was refreshing to find a store with snacks inside. Unfortunately, you will have to search for the snack stations because they are hidden, but if you step inside, your nose will be able to spot if you’ve reached jackpot.

What we liked.

The service. Let’s face it. Where can you get good customer service these days? I was thrilled with how the sales personnel approached you, with the exception of a sleazy looking salesman in the Amish furniture store. My favorite sales person was at the Thomasville store. She was informative, very helpful and not pushy at all. When we returned to the store in the afternoon she was visiting with past clients who just came by to chat with her, which in my mind speaks mounds about how she conducts business.

The selection. Since we have little experience shopping for furniture we were able to compare quality and price all in one stop instead of driving all around. Although it was quite a drive for us, we could have easily spent that much time driving from store to store over several weekends.

No crowds. I don’t know if the crowds can get bad here, or not, but we had absolutely no problem with too many people, which was a concern of ours. Maybe it was because we went when the weather was nice, when the weather the following day turned rainy? I don’t really know. I would imagine if it were more crowded we wouldn’t have had such a positive experience.

Overall view…

Is it worth it to drive to Hickory? With so many mainstream furniture stores these days, I don’t think that the prices here were astonishingly low. We went when they were having a Mark Down sale, where most things were 10% off, but for us, we weren’t seeing huge, slashing discounts. However, we were only looking at bedroom furniture and we really didn’t linger long in the stores with clearance and discontinued items. We did see a really neat coffee table for under $300 that we thought was very reasonable. The sales lady said that her store was no longer going to be carrying the item, it was going to another store with a substantial markup. Our leather couch we bought earlier this year (at 45% off) was only $50 cheaper at the Mart, so we feel like we got a good deal. The shipping prices we were quoted, however, are substantially cheaper than what you will find locally and several people I have talked to have had excellent results with their furniture being shipped from the Mart. If you do find something you like, call up the Mart to see how they price it so that you are able to compare.

The first bedroom furniture candidate is made by Thomasville, a well-known North Carolina based company. Their Cinnamon Hill line really caught our eye. With tailored clean lines, a high foot board, and versatility (you can have high posts on the headboard or low posts) we immediately put this one down as a possibility.

The second bedroom set we came across is made by Villageois, a Canadian-based company. Their Bannister Bed from their Cherry Classic Collection is very substantial, solid and well built. As with the first set, we liked the high foot board, and the classic design.

At the same store we found something comparable to the Villageois set, but was considerably more affordable. Chatham Furniture Reproductions, Inc. had several styles we liked. The Kittery Point Collection has the same look as the Villageois, but with a little more casual feel. The Kittery Point Collection has a little more of a distressed look than the finish we were looking at, but the bedrooms sets are the same. Very similar in design as the Villageois, almost as solid, but for a much more reasonable price.

The final bedroom set we liked was at a Drexel Heritage store, also a North Carolina based company. We went in this store to check out a Mission Style bed, but also ended up finding another set we liked, under their Postabello Home Collection. While this style was much different from all of the others we were considering, we were drawn to the bed. Again, versatility was a big plus. The posts on the headboard and foot board can either be high or low and the hardware on additional pieces come in both pewter and wood, allowing the set to take on different looks.

At lunch we sat down, reviewed all of our choices, referred to a great book I had found called Shopping For Furniture, and went back to the showrooms to look over our final choices. We re-evaluated the sturdiness, the construction of the drawers, the colors and of course the price before coming to a final decision.

Leonard,

Feel free to include the review of the Furniture Mart on your site. I think the more information we share with each other, the more informed we are, and in turn, we make better decisions as consumers.

To answer your question, I don’t do a lot of reviews on furniture shopping. This is only my second time furniture shopping - most of what I have have been antiques given to me, or stuff I’ve picked up here and there. I plan on writing another entry talking about how we came to a final decision. I’ll be more than happy to email that to you as well after I am finished.

Oh, and don’t you worry. I wouldn’t have missed North Carolina BBQ for the world. Vinegar based BBQ is one of my absolute most favorite things!!! See my review below of the place where we ate! I can recommend a few good joints in Virginia and North Carolina, but I’m guessing you are located on the West Coast… I’d be happy to send you a recipe, too, if you are interested.

Laura

Shell’s Diner

2609 Springs Road

Hickory, NC 28601

1.828.256.2275

If you go to the Hickory, North Carolina to do some furniture shopping, be sure to go get some good North Carolina barbeque at Shell’s Diner. The food was good and the service was phenomenal. When we placed our beverage orders, I inquired about their slushes, but decided to stick with sweet tea. However, the server brought us a sample of their slush mix to taste, since it is their most popular drink (the people beside us ordered four tall glasses of the slush!). Before she placed our barbeque order she brought us some to sample. She wanted to make sure we would like the tangy, vinegar based barbeque before ordering a plate. For $7.00 we got a plateful of barbeque with slaw, fries and huspuppies. The sweet tea was as thick as syrup and wonderfully refreshing. Our waitress even asked us if we wanted some sweet tea to go! When’s the last time you had that kind of service?

Len, My husband and I spent the day at the Hickory Furniture Mart in Hickory, North Carolina yesterday. Overwhelmed we scanned the entire place, going back and forth between manufacturers, and diving into your book!, before deciding on a Drexel bedroom set under Drexel’s Postobello Home series.

The Byron bed, two Gina nightstands, a Monaco dresser and possibly a Palo chest to provide a complete set for us. We are going to wait until the end of the month to order, though, because they are offering a 10% discount on the series. Prices at the mart are not that great of a deal. We called a Drexel Heritage store in Sterling, Virginia (near Washington, D.C., the closest Drexel Heritage store to us), and the prices we received from the Sterling store were $5 more per piece than what we would be paying at the Furniture Mart, but the shipping prices out of the mart are much more competitive, since Drexel furniture is made just down the road from the mart.

So, our concern is about the drawer construction. Your book recommends dovetailing, but from the research I did on the Internet, there are several different ways to dovetail. Many of the furniture we saw today is constructed with an English dovetail (what I thought was the only way to dovetail before yesterday!), but the drawers in the Postobello series have English dovetails on the back of the drawers, and what appears to be french dovetails on the front. Should this be something we should be concerned about?

From your recommendations, and others on the Internet, Drexel is a quality furniture company, which leads me to think we shouldn’t be worried, but, well, I am. I asked about Drexel’s warranty, and the sales associate told us that on case goods the warranty is just for one year. Upholstery was five years, I believe. I would love to know your opinion on this matter. Thank you so much for writing such an informative and comprehensive book! - Laura

Hi Laura, Wow! You really have done your homework. The days are gone when shopping NC results in significant price reductions. In today’s world most stores from Maine to California have adjusted their prices to be very competitive everyday of the week. So the price difference between NC and your hometown is very close anymore. Plus companies like Drexel-Heritage have taken a very aggressive stance on pricing and publish the prices that they expect their dealers to sell at from coast to coast! But one huge plus remains for shopping NC and that is the sheer quantity of showrooms all close by that allows a shopper to really go from space to space to compare furniture from the different companies.

All of us in the industry considers Drexel-Heritage to be a solid quality company. I absolutely would not be worried about the construction of their drawers. There are 3 basic dovetail approaches (and many variations on the theme) that you will run into in the furniture world: (1) dovetails which show on both sides of a corner joint, (2) lapped dovetails which show on one face but are concealed on the other by a lap or lip, and (3) secret dovetails in which the joint is entirely hidden. The terms, “English”, “French”, etc. are randomly used by different groups, companies, woodworkers, etc. but have no consensus application across the country or world for that matter. It is a fact though that no matter what a dovetail is called it absolutely represents the best way to connect two pieces of wood together at right angles to each other. So what do we have used on the drawers in the Postobello Collection? I expect that the use of another approach for the front of the drawer was dictated by design considerations. Without being totally sure what the term “French Dovetail” represents I would bet that it is referring to the fact that the drawer sides are slotted into the drawer front. This is not an unusual technique. It certainly is nothing to be concerned about.

As to the warranty the days are gone when a “good faith” warranty can be used by any manufacturer. The government insists on a detailed description as to what is warranted and under what circumstances. A printed warranty looks like the legal document it is. Manufacturers have been increasingly taken advantage of by consumers who feels that the manufacturer should be responsible for anything that happens to an item that they have purchased. Doesn’t matter that they could be poor housekeepers, or the hurricane was in God’s hands. If the dresser, etc. is damaged they want it replace for free! So the one year warranty is in place to cover any unexpected manufacture problems that occasionally crop up. After a year if the item is doing what it should then simple good care and common sense will keep it beautiful for years.

Thank you so much for buying my book and I am delighted that you have found it helpful.

Len Lewin; Author, “Shopping For Furniture: A Consumer’s Guide”, 2nd. Edition

Hey Leonard,
I’ve heard that NC is now collecting the sales tax! So the old advantages are being whittled away! Couple this with everystore USA now being a “discounter” and you have NC as perhaps only a spot for BarBQ! Boyles sent me their catalog and my gut feeling was their pricing was about the same as what I can get in Philadelphia. Based on what you are telling me and what I have found anecdotally, I think that rules out shopping NC for me. If its too good to be true…ahh you know the rest!

Is getting the best price on a piece of furniture as easy as taking 1/2 (based on a 2x markup) of the listed pricing and adding something fair in for the sales reps commission? You can buy a car that way, now- a- days with all the invoices available!

Hope all is well.

Ron

My long term contention and I believe it more than ever that the worse way to shop is to shop “discounts” only. If a shopper has no knowledge of the product that they are wanting to buy and has no appreciation of what makes the project good or bad then they are not going to spend their money well. Now if you know what makes Furniture A better than Furniture B then go for it. Keep in mind that
the NC scene is not the deal it use to be.

With every local store discounting everyday of the week the difference between NC and PA has really shrunk. After saying that if you know your stuff and can take a few days to poke around in the Outlets “Outlets” (where they keep the one of kind stuff, the returns, the “damaged”, etc.) then you can make some incredible deals. Of course you “save” the tax also unless you are such a square shooter that you would turn yourself in to the authorizes. Bottom-line: Shopping NC is certainly work the trip and the better you are the better it will be. Plus, if nothing else, the Pork Bar-B-Q in the region is fabulous.

Len

Dear Len,

First, I want to thank you for writing this wonderful book. Furniture shopping can be overwhelming. You really help people become educated consumers.

Here is my question. I was looking for information on a furniture manufacturer by the name of Ashley in your book. The only reference I could find was in relation to the store - Ashley Home Store. We have a store like this by us that I visited today to do some research. The salesperson told me that the store does not hold inventory which helps to keep their prices low. I was hoping to get some insight into the quality of their merchandise and your opinion on their store. Can you help me?

Thanks,
Amy

Hi Amy,

Thank you for the nice comments on my book. I appreciate them. Ashley Furniture is the fastest growing American furniture company. They are going, as often as possible, to showcasing their furniture in the dedicated Ashley Home Store one of which is close to you. When I wrote my book Ashley was nowhere near the power house that they have become in the last several years. An overwhelming part of the Ashley furniture assortment is furniture that is produced overseas in China, Vietnam, Philippines, etc. The prices are very reasonable and in the trade the Ashley merchandise would be considered entry-level, modest, starter, etc. But for the money they really do a good job. I definitely would go in and take a look at their assortment. Merchandise coming out of the Far East is very, very, well done. If it has a downside, in my opinion, it is the finishes which I think are a bit on the “dry” side and “thin” side. All in all though take a good look.

Len Lewin

Len, 43 years ago we bought a beautiful and expensive 10 piece dining room set. I would like to know more about the set. Inside the drawers it has the name ROMWEBER. On the order card which I still have, it shows 560 Invicta, Italian period, and the wood is cherry and Carpathian burl. We have just given this set to our daughter and her husband and I would like her to know a little bit about Romweber. It is in a like new condition. When we bought this set, we also bought a Hibriten chair which is hand carved on each side and the chair looks just as good now as when we purchased it, as it was mostly for show in our living room. Can you tell me anything about the chair? I would appreciate any help you can give me concerning these items.
Thank you so very much!

Hi Dorothy,

I remember it well. Actually Romweber is still in business and if you go to their web pages you will get the complete history of the line: www.romweber.com will give you the complete story. It was an excellent line and while I haven’t run across it recently it has a proud tradition. Now Hibriten is gone. Bernhardt Furniture Company, www.bernhardtfurniture.com, bought Hibriten, I believe, in the 70’s and closed them down. It was very fine furniture though. You have given the kids some very, very, nice items. I hope they appreciate them.

Len

Dear Len,
In advance I greatly appreciate your advice.

We are moving from Atlanta, Georgia to Burlington, Vermont. We are weighing the pros and cons of moving our 3 bedroom home full of furniture or selling almost everything and buying new when we arrive in Vermont.

Eventually we would like to buy all new furniture. We would like to purchase solid wood, quality furniture, but can’t afford the retail prices. We could possibly rent a U-haul and move a few valuable items. With that we could stop in North Carolina and purchase new furniture at a big discount with our savings from moving and the money we make on selling our old furniture.

My questions:
1- Is Vermont a good place to buy antiques? or quality inexpensive furniture?

2- Where are the big discount places to shop in North Carolina?

3- We have a leather Whittemore Sherrill love seat and chair. They are big and heavy. We love the design, but the leather has been damaged. They no longer look good. Is the frame worth saving? Should we have them re-upholstered? Who do we contact to have this done? Manufacturer? in Vermont?

Thank you very much.
Lisa

Hi Lisa,

All of New England is a good place to look for “antiques”; but be careful unless you are an expert when it comes to antiques. Now if you see a wonderful, charming, well priced item that you can’t live without…buy it; but if you are looking at a small table that George Washington used and is priced at $18,000! Be careful.

You will be better off looking for “quality” inexpensive furniture in North Carolina or Boston. Carolina is terrific, not because the prices are dramatically better than anyplace else (they used to be but now the difference in price between Carolina and say Atlanta or DC or Philly is not that great) but you do save the tax and the routine discount in Carolina is at least 40% off the suggested retail price. What is dramatically different is the huge quantity of furniture that you will see in Carolina. Go through High Point and stop at what I think are the 3 best outlets: FurnitureLand South, Boyles, and Rose Brothers Furniture. They are all within a mile of each other on Rt. 85 in High Point. These are the biggest and the best. You can trust them and the displays are super. Don’t miss them.

I like Sherrill product very much but in today’s world it just doesn’t pay to have an item re-upholstered. Prices are just too competitive and particularly with leather. You can do better buying new. Much good luck with your move and it will tough to find a more beautiful place than Vermont.

Len Lewin; Author, “Shopping For Furniture: A Consumer’s Guide”, 2nd. Edition

Dear Len, we received a nine piece Hibriten dining room set which included a 100″ long table (with both leaves) and 8 upholsted mustard color chairs(6 side chairs and 2 arm chairs). Both the chairs and the table are hand carved. Unfortunately, we do not have the paper work and there is a 1 ft scratch on table top. The chairs are in very good condition. We believe it is a fruitwood and the style seems to be Empire. We can send photos.

We were wondering the value of the set and the proper venue to sell it. We live in San Jose, CA.

Thank you for your time and assistance.
Best regards, Jonathan

Jonathan,

Your best bet for selling your table and chairs is EBay. I say that because I think the best place to maximize your price is on the East Coast. I get a good deal of questions about Hibriten as to value, etc. from people who want to sell the items. I never get a request from anyone who wants to buy some Hibriten items. As you may know Hibriten was bought by Bernhardt Furniture Company somewhere in the early 70’s and after a run closed it down. Hibriten was/is very nice furniture.

How bad is that scratch on the table top? 12″ long! How deep? If it is very shallow it will not be a big problem to fix it up. If it is deep then the whole top may need to be refinished after the scratch is removed. Check with a local woodworker to see what he tells you.

The simplest way for you to move the table and chairs would be at one of the Consignment Stores in the San Jose area. There are several stores in the area from Palo Alto through San Jose. I would expect that you should consider a price for the table and chairs of $1,999. I am assuming that the “mustard” color is the color of the fabric on the chairs and not the color of the wood. If they are slip seats (seats that are upholstered and then screwed/bolted/fastened to the chair) then it is a very simply and inexpensive to re-upholster the chairs. Slip seats will make the set sell very much easier than if each chair was upholstered individually. It is sad that wonderful furniture like Hibriten brings so little on the secondary market. It deserves higher prices because it is fine furniture. Good luck and don’t hesitate to contact me with any additional concerns.

Len Lewin; Author, “Shopping For Furniture: A Consumer’s Guide”, 2nd. Edition

Mr. Lewin…what is your opinion on the microfiber couches? I am concerned about the durability with children, but mostly the fact that I have four cats that lay on our couches quite often. I know that since many pet hair removers are made of microfiber, that they must attract the fur. Do you think I’d drive myself crazy with cat-hair by purchasing a microfiber sectional?!? Thank you, Davene

Ms. Hessert,

Great question. First…you can’t get rid of the cats! I love cats so I put up with their “downside” behavior; but when it comes to hair and microfiber I think your concerns are right on. I expect the microfiber will attract the hair. Now microfibers are terrific when it comes to cleaning and “wear-a-bility” so when it comes to the kids I wouldn’t worry about them. What to do in your situation? I would pass on the microfiber.

Len Lewin

Mr. Lewin,

Thanks for your fast response! I appreciate your educated opinion.

- Davene

Hi Len, what company makes the highest quality furniture? Thanks, Ron

Ron,

Wow what a question. Very subjective of course. My “best” would be: E.J.Victor, Karges, Stickley, and Baker. These are all lines that you can find in most major markets and in regular retail or trade locations. Custom cabinet makers making fabulous “one-of-a-kind” items with prices to match can be found in all of our major markets; but while they can represent the ultimate in craftsmanship they cater to a very small part of the consumer market.

Len Lewin; “Shopping For Furniture: A Consumer’s Guide”, 2nd Edition

p.s. my personal favorite is/was Guy Chaddock. Fabulous finishes but they closed their operation about a year or so ago. Labor problems and all that. I expect the name will be back but I doubt if the furniture will be the same.

Thanks Len, I’m a stickler for quality so it’s interesting to know what an expert considers the “best”. Thanks for your efforts. Regards, Ron

Hi Len, I have a Kindel Mahogany Dining Room set. It includes a table, 6 chairs and a beautiful China closet. It is in perfect condition and was purchased for over $20,000 on sale 17 years ago. The new buyers of my home want to purchase it. I have no idea of its worth and I am tempted to keep it in storage rather then give it away. It is something I know I will not be able to replace. What would you sell it for?

The set has gold ball feet on the double pedisal table. It has three leafs and all the pads. The finish is beautiful. Both peices are large.

- Thanks, Kim

Hi Kim,

Thanks for the additional information. With the china included and considering the table plus 6 chairs I would increase the price to $15,000; but, if the buyers of your home want the set I would settle on $10,000.

You have several problems in trying to get the real value for your items. One is the size of the items. A big china is hard to show in most of today’s home. New homes rarely have a large formal dining area. Even when you have the space for a big china today’s younger affluent consumers rarely have lots of silver or china to showcase. This comment would be less true in the South and if you are located in the South then your odds increase in getting your top price of $15,000. The only other area that would be prime for your goods would be the rest of the East Coast and the Chicago area. The West Coast does not sell or need much mahogany.

Of course, EBay would be a prime way to get top dollar for your goods if you have the time to sell it that way. Keep in mind that any buyer, unless they live next door, will need your items crated for shipping and someone will have to pay the shipping costs. Watch-out for blanket-wrapped shipping. It is done all the time but damage happens all of the time too! Good luck with it all.

Len

p.s. Your best buyer will be the one trying to buy your home.

Hi Len, we have purchased a new home in Florence, AL and are wondering if you had any suggestions on good furniture stores in the area. Florences is about 120 miles from Memphis and Nashville and about 65 miles from Huntsville.

We just purchased your book (2) and are taking advantage of your offer. Thank you.

- Wayne

Wayne, Thank you for buying my book. I hope you will find it very useful.

In regards to your question about stores in the Florence area. Thereisn’t any store there that I think is superior. Memphis certainly has somedecent stores and you are not too far from Atlanta both of which are decentplaces to shop; but I think your best bet is to fly or drive to the Hickory,NC area and shop the big outlets/discounters. Granting that I said in mybook that the “deals” in NC aren’t what they use to be it still remains thatthe concentration of outlets and stores is so big in the NC area that youcan shop almost the whole of the furniture world in one weekend.

A major consideration is what kind of furniture you will ultimately buy. If you aregoing to concentrate on furniture from manufacturers like Drexel/Heritage,Henredon, Century, Thomasville, etc.(high middle to upper end producers)they I think you best bet is to go into Hickory and or, if possible, HighPoint, NC. If on the other hand you are more interested in buying a goodquantity of product on a very tight budget then I would hope locally andstart with Wal-Mart. Several factors are coming into play at the moment inthe South and they are: the hurricane damage, massive imports from China andthe Far East, plant closings in NC, all creating a huge urgency by themanufactures in the region to move furniture at better than average pricereductions. I think the timing is ripe to shop Hickory. I think you could dovery well. Let me know how everything goes.

Len Lewin

Hello Leonard,

Thank you for your response. We have been buying furniture since we moved into an unfurnished house in Florence around the 13th of January.

We found a good store called Story and Lee about 30 miles north of here in Leoma, TN. Their prices seem reasonable based on the information you provide. We bought a Thomasville bedroom set that has worked out well and paid about 45% of the ficticious MSRP and we are very happy with it. We have also ordered a LR set from them (Broyhill) and are awaiting delivery. In the meantime, we rented a sofa and love seat from a local rental place…that was quite the experience. They normally rent to buy to people that cannot get loans and our 800+ credit ratings was a rarity for them. However, it has worked well for us paying about $35/week while ours is being built.

We didn’t find anything we liked at Braggs in Huntsville but did buy a kitchen table set from Bassett Furniture in Huntsville. It was a floor sample that was in the backroom and we couldn’t see it too well. It was marked 50% off and was very comfortable. When it was delivered (cost $69 for a 65 mile trip), I noticed that the table sagged. Upon measuring, it was about a quarter inch. I called and got a lot of trouble from the salesperson, but finally (after 4 requests) to speak to her manager. He was accommodating and sent his service person to check it out. He agreed there was a problem and offered to order us a new one at $200 (delivered) above what we paid. (We paid $544 for a set listed in their store at $1,088, now it will cost us $744.) I haven’t been able to find the MSRP because we are 65 miles away and the Bassett web site does not give prices. I don’t think we did as well there but as least we will not have to live with a sagging table.

We’ve bought two mattresses and are very pleased with our $799 Sealy compared to two Stearns and Foster we previously bought for around $1,600 each. We discovered that stores won’t guarantee the mattress unless you buy their matching foundation which is usually more expensive then you need. They also deny they are governed buy an MAP.

Thank you for writing your books and sharing your insights with us. We still need to buy an office desk, I am a retired professor and still do some consulting work, end and coffee tables, wall hangings, etc. Maybe we will take your advice and drive over to Hickory next week.
- Wayne

Hi Wayne,

You two sound like a pair of very sharp shoppers. Glad to hear you are generally satisfied with what you have come up with. I think you will be fascinated and excited by what you can see in Hickory. If and when you make the trip drop me a line and tell me what you think about shopping the Hickory area. Incidentally, what is your field of study and where did you do your teaching?

Len

Len,

We will plan to go the North Carolina next week. I’ll let you know what we find. Hickory is about 500 miles from Florence. How do those places handle shipping costs? Any suggestions on what we should expect to pay?

I was a Professor of educational psychology at the University of Minnesota. I taught courses in statistics, testing, and evaluation. My research area was Science Education where I studied the characteristics of effective math and science teachers…among other thing.

Wayne

Hi Wayne,

Shipping is kind of cut and dried. Heavily regulated as to tariffs, etc. I would simply go with whoever the outlet uses. But: pay attention to any of the small print on the purchase contract. Read carefully as to what happens if an item is damaged. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, fully uncrate any item shipped to you and carefully inspect it. A box/crate can have a damaged item inside even if the box looks ok. Never consider any marks, dents, smashed corners, crumbled box side as minor. Make a note on delivery receipt that box was damaged. NEVER LISTEN TO A TRUCK DRIVER WHEN HE TELLS YOU HE DOESN’T HAVE TIME TO WAIT WHILE YOU UNCRATE. Tell him to cool it (unless he is very big and looks mean…then have your wife tell him to wait).

I expect you will find shipping costs to be the same no matter who you are dealing with. Be careful of blanket wrap shipments. They do it all the time but damage can occur. Read the fine print. Whenever possible pay with credit card.

Educational psychology! Are you working on a book? If I had not been so greedy I would have been a happy camper in the academic world. With you field of expertise, science and math teachers/programs, and the American educational system failing terribly in both areas I’ll bet you could come up with a nice selling expose.

Let me know how it goes in Hickory. Incidentally, my brother, is a major executive with a big furniture trucking line out of High Point, N.C. so if there is any shipping information that bothers you let me know and we can have him check it out for you.

Len

Len,

I have a question. We have found a coffee table and two end tables that we like. They are made by Ethan Allen. The prices are $599, $379, and $399 respectively.

I’ve looked on the web and can’t fine them anyplace but at Ethen Allen stores.

Is that where we need to buy them? and, What should we expect to pay, say if we go to their store in Huntsville, AL. Thanks, again, for your help. Incidently, I could not access your top rated internet store, GoodHome.com. That site sells only perfume, etc.

Wayne

Wayne,

Ethan Allen “controls” their distribution tighter than any other manufacturer in the US. They also play fewer games with their pricing and have fewer discount events. I would expect that their prices in Huntsville would be the same as their prices in Memphis; but after saying all that I would ask when the items would go on sale and appear as reluctant buyers. The owner/manager may be having a poor month and would want any kind of sale to make his figures. Keep in mind that I think Ethan Allen is the best run and most sensible priced furniture operation in the US. They do it right for the most part.

Did you pick up my book on “Shopping On The Internet”! Darn that was a fun book to put together but it represents exactly what a book on “Best Places to Stay in Hawaii” hitting the book stores in June of 1941. Most of the industry thought that the Internet would be the greatest boon to the industry and consumers since the creation of the screw. But the big brick and mortar furniture players refused to come along and the consumer was ultimately reluctant to buy without seeing, feeling, etc. the items. The whole venture failed and collapsed. GoodHome is gone as is all the rest. No major player is trying to sell recognized brand named product on the Internet today. The majors are using the Net as information pages only. The logistics of moving furniture from point A to point B was the biggest and costliest hurdle to overcome. Damage claims, returns, allowances all sunk the ship.
- Len

Dear Len,
My husband and I were fortunate enough to find and purchase your book last year. It helped us tremendously when we were ready to look for a new couch and chair. In January we received our beautiful new Henredon furniture from Boyles in NC. All of our living and dining room wood furnishings are Stickley, and we were happy to see our highly you think of their craftsmanship.

Here’s my question: We are now looking for teak patio furniture. We’re having a difficult time finding out which manufacturers produce a sturdy, high quality line. Three that we are considering are Gloster, Barlow Tyrie, and Smith & Hawken. Can you please help us?

Thank you for providing such an outstanding guide to nailing down quality furnishings. Your book was very interesting and immensely helpful!!

- Dawn

Dear Dawn,

What a nice note. Thank you so much for your kind comments. You have made my day. A house full of Henredon and Stickley is hard to beat. Any of the lines you are considering for your teak furniture would be find; but if I had to choose, I believe I would go with the Smith & Hawken. They have had an excellent reputation for a lot of years now. Would love to see some pictures of your home if any are available. Did you use an interior designer or did you put everything together yourself? Thank you Dawn.

Len Lewin; Author, “Shopping For Furniture: A Consumer’s Guide”, 2nd. Edition

Len, What is MDF and why is it used? What should I know about it when buying a piece thats has it and how do I tell it’s being used?

- Thanks, Tom

Hi Tom,

MDF means “Medium Density Fiberboard”. It is used in the furniture industry in a number of applications but the only applications that you want to see on a piece of furniture that you would buy is: MDF used as dust bottoming ( a panel that fits under the drawers in a case piece that is intended as a barrier for dust, a back panel for a case piece (wooden panels are best but MDF is not a total turn-off), and possibly as a core material. If used as a core you would not see it or be aware of it at all. HDF (High Density Fiberboard) is more often used for cores and is better but not dramatically better).

Now if you see MDF used in any other application it is a cheap, you don’t want to buy it piece. You know it is being used because by law a manufacturer has to tell you what items go into the production of a piece but they don’t have to tell you exactly where it is used. A good sales person should be able to tell you where on the piece you will find it. The places where I said it is ok are very visible with the exception of the core material. Good luck and don’t hesitate to contact me at any time.

Len Lewin; Author, “Shopping For Furniture: A Consumer’s Guide”, 2nd. Edition

Do you recommend a leather sofa with connected (or attached cushions)? I realize the cushions cannot be rotated, etc. Is this a big problem? - Carol

Hi Carol,

It is not a big problem. The cushions on any good leather sofa are only half leather on the bottom of the cushion. You can’t put leather to leather facing without creating a kind of ski-slope so you can’t reverse the cushions but you can rotate them right to left and this does even out and extend the wear. The back pillows are often leather front and back but being situated differently than the cushions are easier to rotate but even them are often “winged” right and left and thus can only be flipped right to left.

So where does all this leave us! Often the most classic leather looks have been tufted seats and tufted backs. More importantly than the tight seat/tight back style is the quality of the leather and if you are buying good leather then your wear with tight seats will be more than adequate. I would bet that the average person buying good leather gets tired of the look long before the sofa wears out. Now if you are buying the “new” looks out of China or Italy at entry level prices ($899 sofas) then you can’t expect the 20 to 30 year wear you will get out of the $2,000 plus sofas from Hancock & Moore or Roche B.. I think leather is so good to live with (even the inexpensive leathers) that I would say go for it. If you get 5 to 7 years out of a nicely styled sofa at $899/$1,299 then you have done OK.

Len Lewin; Author, “Shopping For Furniture: A Consumer’s Guide”, 2nd Edition

Len, I am interested in a curio/etagere that has bonded leather on the front of metal/steel frame (two strips, 71 inches ea.) Is there a downside to this?

- Gwen

Hi Gwen,

Sounds interesting. I don’t see any problem with the technique as long as it is done properly. I would expect that the key element is the proper bonding agent so that the leather is firmed fixed to the metal. Keep me posted. Who is the manufacturer and how much are they asking? Just curious. Accessory items/decorative items are very hard to shop in a competitive sense since they are often so unique.

Len Lewin; “Shopping For Furniture: A Consumer’s Guide”, 2nd. Edition

Thank you for your advice & speedy reply. I learned of your site while reseaching leathers. I believe the manufacturer of this curio is Comfort Design & the dealer is Z Futons and Furniture. They are charging $622.49 plus shipping.

It is interesting that you mention how competitive accessories are. I compared a coffee and end table with same specs. One from the above dealer & the other with Feldman furniture and there is a difference of $295.00. Both have a 30-day return policy with shipping responsibility of buyer.

Thanks again.

Hi Gwen,

Thank you for the feedback. It is always good to hear about stores, product, and trends in different parts of the country. “Accessories” is the category of merchandise where most dealers take the highest mark-ups since most of the product is “invisible” from a brand recognition standpoint and thus difficult for any consumer to price compare. Perhaps most importantly the assessory buy is incidental and works “perfectly” with the major furniture items that were just purchased so the consumer is not working hard on price but rather is looking for just the right touch. After saying all that the “right” accessories can make the room and are definitely a “fun” buy. Icing is always more fun than the cake. Hope 06 will be a wonderful year for you and your family.

Len Lewin