Gorman’s Bernie Moray inducted into American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame
Longtime HFA member Bernie Moray opened his first furniture store in 1965 so it’s safe to say he’s seen a lot in the years since. But at High Point market, Moray experienced a first: the 96-year-old retailer was inducted into the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame.
For someone who loves to talk furniture – and talk in general – Moray was at a loss for words. “What can I say?” he said. “This is the pinnacle of my career. I won’t say life, but certainly this honor is the absolute pinnacle of my career.”
Moray, chairman of Gorman’s Home Furnishings & Design’s six Michigan stores, was one of four inductees including the late Donald H. Flanders, Sr., founder and chairman of Lloyd Flanders, the late Vladimir Kagan, a contemporary furniture designer, and Samuel Kuo, co-founder and chairman of Samson Holding Ltd.
Moray, who calls himself a modernist with a love for contemporary furniture, recognized the potential of high-end contemporary design long before it became mainstream.
When he purchased the original Gorman’s in 1965, he set out to create not just one of the best contemporary furniture stores in the Detroit area, but in the nation. Considered one of the most impactful retailers in the industry for his keen eye, Moray remains intent on creating retail destinations offering fresh home furnishings. His mantras are that there is only one policy at Gorman’s and that is to “make it right” and that every fiber of the organization must be based on the very best quality.
A seven-member selection committee, composed of three Hall of Fame Foundation board members and four representatives from diverse segments of the industry, chose inductees based on their contributions to the growth and development of the home furnishings industry in America.
The day-long recognition began at noon with the inductees receiving their Hall of Fame pins and unveiling their plaques on the Hall of Fame Wall in Furniture Plaza and culminated with the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame Foundation Induction Celebration gala that night, where Former Secretary of State Colin Powell served as the keynote speaker.
