Solid Furniture?

[PonderInc]

For fairly decent, affordable stuff, you might try "Furniture Row" on 17th (?) and Sheridan. (I went to "Sofa Mart" but looked around at the other stores, which are all connected.)

I bought a leather couch there that I've been really pleased with so far.  (Two years and counting...).  I liked that the showroom was much smaller than the big stores, the selections were closer to my taste than Mathis Brothers ("Bubba got a raise!"), and the sales people didn't act like desperate used-car salesmen. 

I wasn't really shopping for tables, etc at the time, but I remember that they had solid wood furniture.

(I've also got a couch from Norwalk.  Damned expensive, but I will own it for the rest of my life.  Amazingly well built with a lifetime guarantee, and you get to pick the cushion firmness and fabric.  One of my house guests spilled red wine on it, and they sent out professional cleaners to take care of it for me b/c I bought the $75 fabric protection package.  Only downside is that it weighs a frickin' ton!)

[buckeye]

In my experience, the stuff at any of the standard local furniture places ranges from unmitigated junk to half-assed; all of it is overpriced.  The best new stuff I've seen in a while was at a place south of Pryor that sources from Amish-staffed factories in Illinois (mainly). 

Maybe the best bet is second-hand, a la Conan71's quest for mid-century stuff.  My wife inherited some furniture from her grandmother.  While it's unremarkable in design, the build quality is fantastic.

[HoneySuckle]

My taste has changed over the years from traditional to more modern contempory design.  I absolutely detest Mathis Bros.  Nothing I bought from them over the years have lasted, and I am not talking their cheap stuff.  I bought a dining room set about three years ago from them, their higher end stuff, and within 6 weeks, the chairs were wobbly and the finish on the table was coming off.  They tried to fix chairs and table and made a bigger mess so I asked them to kindly remove their junk, and I did say junk!  They did and gave a refund, so that was the positive experience with them.  The furniture from North Carolina lasted fairly well, but I'm so over those designs that I am ready to sell these and get something modern...think Italian made leather living and dining room furniture.  I ordered Italian leather bar stools (made in Italy), and they are amazing.  No shaky, wobbly junk from China!!  Bought my barstools online from a company in California.

I don't want "Italian" design, but made in China.  Does such a thing exist in T-town, or must I go to Dallas or shop online?

This is the brand I've been drooling over:

http://international.calligaris.it/company.asp

[waterboy]

Honey, I think you should try Hawley Design at 6th & Utica or IO at the Farm I think.

CF, there is a lot of markup on furniture but there is also a lot of expense in that industry. Transportation is one. Warehousing is another. The manufacturing is centered in North Carolina and they rely heavily on rail and trucking. Then folks want it delivered to their home but don't like paying for that delivery.

As a retailer, it is expensive to stock and your business depends on smart buying choices. It also depends heavily on new construction because furniture is a durable good that lasts a long time. Or it should.  Miss a trend and you're dead. It is a heavily labor oriented business. Those skills are diminishing.

In short, after you analyze the costs specific to this industry, it is no more or less profitable than any other retail business. The margin makes it look attractive, but unless you are good at managing those costs and carving out a niche of customers willing to pay for quality furniture you will flounder.

Go back a decade and see how many furniture stores survived. Usually just the family ones that were high end.

[Conan71]

BC BC across Sheridan from the Farm is a good place for modern and contemporary, as is Urban Furnishings at 3636 S. Peoria.   I believe UF is Hawley's ex-wife.  I'm trying to think of the name of the one at 35th & Peoria... SR Hughes, I believe.

http://www.hawleyco.com/About%20Hawley%20Company.html#

http://www.srhughes.com/

http://www.bcbcmodern.com/

http://www.urbanfurnishings.com/

Here's your Italian stuff:

http://www.natuzzi.com/

[sauerkraut]

I like SunShine Furniture on Memorial & 71st. I never bought anything there but they do seem to have nice stuff. If was going to buy anything I'd want to check out that place.  http://www.sunshineok.com/   

[RexxyNOB17]

I think that the best bet is second-hand, a la Conan71's adventure for mid-century stuff. That's what I guess...




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Patio furniture

[brianh]

I like SunShine Furniture on Memorial & 71st. I never bought anything there but they do seem to have nice stuff. If was going to buy anything I'd want to check out that place.  http://www.sunshineok.com/   

That information is not correct according to my tests. The sales people at this location told me the furniture is disposable, and they only expected it to last 3-5 years. An average sized Oklahoman sitting on the furniture makes it creak loudly. I still recommend sofa mart.

[Townsend]

An average sized Oklahoman sitting on the furniture makes it creak loudly.

Us Tubby Okies sitting on the furniture makes it creak loudly.

[Breadburner]

S.R. Hughes...Family owned and operated.....