Have you ever tried to find a really good woodworker? I don’t mean your local handyman who can build a deck. I’m talking about a real woodworker who can do custom work; those few from the good old days with impeccable craftsmanship abilities. I’m talking about someone who truly understands the intricacies of wood, how it can split, how to best join pieces of it; someone who knows the densities of different species of wood and who can craft fine wood furniture. There aren’t many left. Many who have passed away did not leave their skills with the ones they left behind. Does is really matter? They make engineered wood today without the intricate design work. What about quality furniture stores in Northern New Jersey, for example? Where are they?
Subprime Mortgage Crisis
The subprime mortgage crisis and the ensuing recession have affected all industries including home furnishings. The real estate bubble peaked in 2007 and burst soon after causing the values of securities attached to the real estate pricing to take a nose-dive and as a result damaging the global financial institutions. The Unites States hasn’t fully recovered yet. Home furnishings industry is directly affected by the real estate market. When a family purchases their new home the first thing they do is shop for furniture. Many home furnishings stores in New Jersey and elsewhere have suffered big losses as the economy has slowed down since the subprime mortgage crisis.
Lately, there is a disconnection between the quality of furniture of the past and the present furniture offerings throughout the showrooms in the United States. The details and the quality seem to be lost to the mass market of consumers who are causing the increase in production of lesser quality products. Much of today’s furniture offerings are… disposable. Is this the reality of today? Granted, not everyone can afford masterpiece-quality products but it seems that the home furnishings industry has shifted from top-quality furniture to trash that all too soon fails.
Quality Furniture Stores Closings
Stores which offer quality products are going out of business left and right. This is true especially in Northern New Jersey. One latest victim is Bograd’s which has roots in Paterson. After 81 years of selling quality name brands such as Theodore Alexander, Hancock & Moore, and Stickley they have closed their doors. This 30,000 square foot store was located in Riverdale and survived many economic crises but this one has caused them to cease operations.
As I’m writing this, Einstein Moomjy, another quality furniture store in New Jersey, is on its last day of their going-out-of-business sale of its flagship store on Route 17 in Paramus. Einstein Moomjy was started in 1948 and even they are closing their doors forever. At one time during the 1990s they had 7 stores employing over 150 employees. Not only did they specialize in high-end, hand-made area rugs but they also carried fine furniture and accessories.
These are just two examples of upper high-end furniture stores that have gone out of business.
Emergence of Lower-End Furniture Stores
As a result of the slumping economy, there are polar-opposite stores from the likes of Bograds and Einstein Moomjy popping up. Why would anyone want to purchase an inexpensive sofa which has a lifespan of a maximum of 2 years? One reason would be their restricted budget. The other reason is that they don’t know any better and a sofa advertised for $299 sounds enticing. When a customer sees a sofa like this in a showroom floor, it may look great, but looks can be deceiving. For an average consumer it is difficult to distinguish between a high quality sofa and a low quality one from looks alone. And is there really enough of a profit margin for a furniture store to sell products in this price range? Are these types of stores truly supplying customers with products that they need?
A newcomer has arrived in New Jersey with quite a few stores. You may have seen those annoying commercials with enticing prices from this big box furniture store. The products are mass-produced and you receive them in three days or less according to some of its commercials. There is no customization involved; the way you see it on the showroom floor is usually the only way it’s offered. If a sofa sells for $299 how long will it last in reality? How is it made? How will it hold up compared to a sofa costing $1,199, for example? Let that sink in for a minute. Use your common sense and really think about this. Low-grade parts are obviously used. Particle board used for the frame of a sofa is not the same as solid hardwood such as maple. Bonded leather is not genuine leather. Inexpensive threads used to upholster a sofa produce seams of poor quality. Stapling the frame together is not the same as using doweling for the joinery. Then, there is the foam. Inexpensive foam breaks down quicker and you end up with an uncomfortable and saggy sofa. In the end, will it last? How many repeat customers will there be as a result of selling these types of products?
Is Market Driving the Product?
If a consumer sees inexpensive products advertised on TV, newspapers, and internet recurrently then that’s what they’ll purchase. However, a quality furniture store will have knowledgeable sales reps who will help customers choose better products. If the sofa purchased at this type of a store lasts the test of time will there be repeat business? Furniture stores that insist on marketing lower-end products; employ “order takers” who simply want to sell the product instead of actually spending time with the customer and guiding them to purchase a better product; and fall short in matching the expectations of the consumer, then this entire home furnishings industry is in for an astonishing amount of pain.
Any quality furniture stores left in New Jersey, for example? The industry is awash in a sea of beiges, whites, browns, and blacks so are there stores which offer custom upholstery options on the sofas they carry? There sure are. If you’d like to purchase quality furniture products that last and can be ordered in customized options, click here.
