How did we get to the point where almost everything we buy is from some place other than here?
Let me tell you a little story…about a nice company.
Not too long ago most of our furniture was made in the good old U S of A.
And a lot of it here in North Carolina.
The common story now is that US factories are shuttering their doors and the American worker is out of work.
A good amount of furniture is being manufactured “somewhere” cheaply with sub standard goods (it can’t even really be called wood) and has finishes/paints applied so heavily you won’t see what is underneath.
Not only is this killing the economy…I wonder/worry a lot about the effects of those finishes outgassing in our homes.
Now let’s talk about a company still employing folks here, still growing and still building furniture…
… and celebrating 100 years in the business!
Hickory Chair in Hickory, North Carolina.
I had the pleasure of “graduating” from Hickory Chair University last week…meaning I spent 2-1/2 days touring their factory, sitting in “class” and learning more about what it means to build a really fine piece of furniture.
As an interior designer, it is crucial to my business that I not only know what the furniture I specify is made of but also stand behind the quality and believe in the product.
I will not put something in a client’s home that I wouldn’t put in mine.
I really like what I saw and…
I got to PEEK at the new pieces that will be debuting at October Furniture Market in High Point!
You can’t see the label on the drawing on the work table but it’s for a great looking new sofa for October. The frame is in front of me.
Another new chair frame:
I know you can’t stand the excitement either. Further down I’ll show some pics of the new pieces.
I won’t go into too much detail but I will tell you that HC (Hickory Chair) has been very successful in a terrible economy by not only building a fine product but by embracing the philosophy of empowering their workers.
They have weekly meetings to find out what the workers need, how the workers feel they could do their jobs better and they give them all the tools and systems to do so.
When there is a problem with a piece, they go back to the line to find out what happened and ask the workers how they think they could improve on the technique, system or production control.
Here is the company president, Jay Reardon asking one of his employees about her job:
This plaque was hanging above her station and summed it up for me:
Furniture here is bench made. It isn’t started into production until there is an actual order. Which means the worker knows that they are actually building something for a customer. They know how much it costs to build it and how much Hickory Chair sells it for.
The workers get paid by the hour, not by the piece which means your furniture won’t be slapped together. And there is a bonus system. If the company meets it’s goals, the employees are rewarded for that.
That’s the way it should be done.
Hickory Chair still makes almost every component for their furniture including legs, inlays, stretchers, cushions, corner blocks etc. in the factory.
This man shapes all of these legs by hand.
All the finished legs
I could talk about manufacturing for a hundred years since furniture is my thing.
But…onto some things you might recognize…
This frame:
Becomes this bed:
This piece becomes:
The Spool Chair (The original) designed by Mark Hampton.
I am installing one of these at a client’s home on Friday and I can’t wait to see it…maybe I’ll snap a pic for you!
This naked chest:
Looks divine with its finish on
This crown:
Adorns this china cabinet:
This frame:
Becomes this Alexa Hampton Eva Chair:
And now here are some of the new pieces for October Furniture Market:
Suzanne Kasler’s new barstool!
Crazy for Biscuit tufting!
Fun to see the “guts”…I heart the new contemporary wing chairs!
This is going to be a great little tubby clubby
This has nice masculine lines…can’t wait to see how it sits with it’s back cushion.
It’s like being Mrs. Kravitz (Bewitched) and spying!
Only I had permission.
I’ll close with some random images of the factory.
I have new found respect…there was no air conditioning in certain places in the factory to keep the dust down. It was very hot and even though there are water bottle stations every so often, the ovens upstairs in the finishing rooms made it almost unbearable.
These folks were smiling and focused on their job.
They know they are craftspeople, not just factory workers. They know they are building a piece of furniture, (possibly an heirloom) for someone’s home and that it is “made by hand in the USA.”
Amen.
Enjoy,
@
First congrats on your latest degree!! I am most impressed, am familiar with them but never got an “insiders tour”! I am like you, so willing and wanting to support anything made on our turf. Beyond knowing its made with American hands, to me..its a win/win. We are keeping and creating jobs and having them stay in this country. If this is done increasingly eventually like how it used to be we become competitive again in the market place (internationally speaking) and eventually it IS going to be cost effective to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. It will be one of those three steps forward, one step back kind of things for a while…but we have recovered before, and America is very resillient and I am happy and proud to support ANY business that chooses to keep and generate jobs right here vs. outsourcing abroad. Thanks Amy!
YES TINA!!!! I so believe in American manufacturing!
LOL on my degree! It’s right next to my ASID certificate and my Bachelors of Science…!
Thanks, Amy, for this history of Hickory Chair. I have long admired the quality of their products, but was unaware of the way they run their business. It is sad that we are losing so many industries and jobs right now, so it is heartening to know of one company that really does it right. They produce beautiful, well-made products in an ethical way, which is good for business and good for their employees. It really is a simple business model that used to be the bedrock of our industrial success, but, sadly, we have lost sight of it in an economy where many corporations are focused solely on the bottom line. Let’s hope Hickory can set an example for others. They deserve our support.
Thanks Victoria! I so agree
Thanks for the behind the scenes look-they are such an amazing company, and I’ve always loved their products. Now I love them even more!! I spy Donna…hi Donna!
Do you spy Lori too?
We love Hickory Chair furniture and are so happy to be able to buy products that are made in the USA. It is so important to support companies that are in the USA and it certainly helps that the quality, craftsmanship and styling is wonderful. Congratulations on your degree.
Angela and Renee
Hi Angela and Renee!
Buy USA!
Thanks for stopping by
This was fascinating….thank you so much for enduring the heat so that we might benefit from your experience…WOW! I love the naked chest….and those chairs…..oooooo! I would love to be able to choose a few…smiles.
Ellen,
Come on over and choose!!!
I know someone that will give you a great deal…wink!
Amy,
I’m always feel “wowed” by your posts, but this one is extra special. I couldn’t agree more with you on this subject. It makes me angry at times even. I was born in Brazil and since a kid I had a dream to live in America. This dream grew on me because we had a friend that lived in Chicago and would tell me “stories” about the USA, about how much safer it was, how happy you could be. She would even bring me some books whenever she went to BR. I was 5 years old.
I left my family to move to Canada (I wanted America, but had a better opportunity here) more than 10 years ago and I saw the economy fall apart. It hurts me seeing people loosing their jobs, knowing that there’s always a family that suffers with that.
HC is one of my favorite companies also. I’m impressed knowing more about them, thanks to you, and I’d definitely recommend them.
Thank you for this post. We all should give credit to the “strong” ones. The ones that keep fighting for what they believe.
xo
Luciane at HomeBunch.com
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment Luciane!
I think those of us who are lucky enough to be born here forget how blessed we are….
Lots of love!
Congrats on your degree, and yes I so agree on supporting those companies that are trying desperately to survive in the USA. So sad that this is not the norm anymore. Love Hickory Chair and their beautiful new lines!!
What an amazing place! Looks like such a great place to attend “class”. Love seeing all these great pieces are made.
xo E + J
Congratulations are the new degree….I love Hickory Chair…their furniture is tops and you know when you sell it to someone you can be proud that they will pass it down the line. Can’t do that with “Rooms To Go”….it goes to the curb when you are done
So fun. I loved my time at Hickory Chair University! You must have met my friend Liz Carroll from Wilmington? Pretty sure she was there at the same time!