I have been to Washington, D.C. twice to discuss furniture industry issues on behalf of HFA and our members. It’s a trip HFA makes annually to meet face-to-face with our lawmakers and various government agencies to make sure our voices are heard as people who make a living in the
As I write this, people throughout the country are dealing with crippling winter storms and need a helping hand. My area in Texas has been hit especially hard. In the six days my stores were closed, most of my employees were without power. City water facilities experienced power failures, generator
We use facial recognition traffic counters on our front doors to get as accurate of a count as possible of the people entering our furniture stores. It also captures a small image of each individual. A couple of years ago, we discovered that on more than 30 occasions, a particular
I am craving contact! I think in home furnishings, we all are craving contact right now. Our industry has many wonderful attributes, but the one thing that I fell in love with and that resonates with me is our business’ collegial nature. We are part of a customer-centric industry, and
I’m David Gunn of Knight Furniture, your HFA president for 2021. I’ve never looked more forward to a new year than this one. Yet as painful as 2020 was on many levels, I did learn a few lessons. I was reminded never to take anything, or anyone, for granted. It
Jerry Epperson is a trusted researcher and analyst for Mann, Armistead, & Epperson with more than 40 years of furniture industry experience and a great friend to the Home Furnishings Industry. We always look forward to hosting his standing-room-only seminars in our HFA Resource Center. As you are all aware, due to the COVID-19 restrictions, we were unable to
The HFA community has lost a true industry leader and friend in the passing of MOR Furniture founder Richard Haux, Sr. Rick passed away on November 5, 2020, at 74. Rick attended and graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Accounting and began a career in Accounting
Even a pandemic can’t prevent Coconis Furniture from its annual mission to help local women. During October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Coconis Furniture-Mattress 1st, Genesis HealthCare System, and a local NBC affiliate WHIZ TV teamed up to offer Southeastern Ohio area, women free mammogram screenings. This year, due to the
If you are like me, you can’t wait for December 31st, when we can say goodbye to 2020. I have heard it called a dumpster fire and a train wreck. The common thread through whatever anyone calls 2020 is that it has been an ugly mess. Everyone started the year strong even in the
Long after Thanksgiving spills into Black Friday, when hordes of people begin their holiday shopping rites, HFA member Cheri Hochstetler will keep the doors closed at Dwell, the eclectic furniture store she and her husband own with friends in Coralville, Iowa. “We’re going to have a quiet Thanksgiving that includes giving our staff some time at home
Making a typical final mile home delivery in the COVID-19 era has changed for the foreseeable future. Many retailers have
When it comes to retail financing, Mariner Finance has a simple motto: “Our business is to grow yours.” Mariner Finance’s
If you are like me, you can’t wait for December 31st, when we can say goodbye to 2020. I have heard it called
Furniture retailers would get more flexibility to spend Paycheck Protection Program funds and earn loan forgiveness under a bill passed
The first quarter of 2021 has been extremely active on many policy, economic, and industry fronts. In many ways, the
Congress and the Trump administration are preparing another Covid-19 relief package. The Home Furnishings Association’s Washington representative, Chris Andresen, and government relations liaison Doug Clark
Everyone is trying to figure out what the “new normal” will look like when your stores reopen. What will recovery look like to you and
