Grand Rapids Furniture Company History

Company purchased by edsko hekman and a group of associates.

Grand rapids furniture company history.

The grand rapids companies and the number of their employees have been excerpted from the report. Company operates as a subsidiary of sligh lowery but continues to produce furniture under the grand rapids chair name. Sligh traveled to central america and established the honduras mahogany co which purchased mahogany timber in honduras cut it in new orleans and shipped it to grand rapids. In 1883 charles r.

Firm is purchased by baker furniture co but furniture is still produced under the grand rapids chair name. Gunn adds a retail furniture department to his hardware business. Made possible through a generous grant by the furniture manufacturers heritage advised fund grand rapids community foundation furniture city history is a sister site to history grand rapids. Plant expands to include former grand rapids piano case factory next door.

Is established and incorporated. Johnson brothers begin johnson furniture co. Grand rapids has always been known for it s fine furniture and in 1876 grand rapids was recognized for being the leading furniture manufacturer in the world and to this day it is still the leading manufacturer of office furniture worldwide. Murray president of murray furniture company and designer david l.

Among the many interesting statistics were michigan furniture companies and the number of employees. Company changes name to the gunn furniture co. Tom handley hired as staff designer. Century purchased by r.

An engaging exploration of the industry that gave grand rapids its nickname. Click the history grand rapids logo at the left to. Sligh founded the company in 1880 after working for berkey gay as a finisher and traveling salesman in 1874. Johnson handley johnson organized as a companion company utilizing the same factory showrooms and officers as johnson furniture co.

Brown and john c. More information about the history and heritage of the furniture industry in grand rapids is also available on the grand rapids public museum website. Company completes a new factory at 1101 godfrey avenue sw. Incorporated as the century furniture company after the death of rickenbaugh.

Gunn folding bed co. Founded by partners david s. Grand rapids furniture factories in 1909 the first annual report of the michigan department of labor in 1910 was a volume over 500 pages. The first companies that would mass produce furniture on the scale the city would become known for opened in the 1850s but it wasn t until the 1870s that this growing industry would receive national and international attention.

The grand rapids furniture association created in 1881 was made for purpose of protecting furniture manufacturers and dealers.