Share this on

WHFA honors Sacramento's Naturwood

By Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, March 30, 2009

Rancho Cordova, Calif. — Family-owned and -operated Naturwood Home Furnishings has been named the Western Home Furnishings Assn.'s 2009 Western Retailer of the Year.

Naturwood will be honored at the group's annual conference in Hawaii in May.

The WHFA said the company, which has two stores and a warehouse outlet and has operated in greater Sacramento, Calif., for 61 years, was selected based on its contributions to the industry, community service, personal business achievements and company leadership.

"With their long history in the Sacramento area and continuing dedication to their local community and industry, Naturwood Home Furnishings exemplifies everything an exceptional retailer strives to be," said Sharron Bradley, WHFA executive director.

Naturwood got its start in 1946 as University Furniture-Home of Naturwood Products in Seattle, when Walter Keyes opened an unfinished furniture store after World War II. In 1948, he moved to Sacramento and opened the first Naturwood Furniture. Keyes said he chose the Naturwood name to reflect the quality of the unfinished wood furniture he sold.

He died in 1957, leaving the business to his 19-year-old son, John Keyes. John and his wife, Virginia, continued to grow the retail business. They ventured into manufacturing, but eventually focused on retail.

The store shifted into finished furniture in the late 1970s, exiting the unfinished category.

In the early 1980s, Naturwood relocated from Sacramento to nearby Rancho Cordova. It later expanded the store to its current 87,000 square feet, making it the largest retail furniture showroom in northern California. Today, it also operates a second store in Roseville, Calif., and a warehouse outlet in Rancho Cordova.

John Keyes died in 2006. Virginia Keyes and her daughter Lisa Keyes run the store and remain "dedicated to John's original principles of integrity, quality and service to their customers and community," WHFA said.

Naturwood also is dedicated to green and sustainable living, working to minimize its carbon footprint while offering customers sustainable products, the association said.

Naturwood also works with a number of local charities. It's involved in the industry as well, with General Manager Don Lemieux serving on the WHFA board since 2005.

The retailer started and supports the Friends Remembering Friends Golf Tournament, which honors those the industry has lost and raises money for local charities.

"It has been especially difficult in these last few years as you all know," Virginia and Lisa Keyes said in a joint statement. "We all are overjoyed and honored to hear that we are awarded this honor from Western Home Furnishings Assn. along with our peers. This award is due to the hard work and dedication of our entire staff, each employee being a very important member of the entire team to make the company work."

Naturwood will be honored May 19 during a dinner celebration and awards presentation at the WHFA's May 17–19 Conference & Expo on Maui, Hawaii. Information on the event is available at WHFAconference.com or by calling Cindi Williams, WHFA events manager, at (800) 422-3778.

Share this on

Naturwood named WHFA's Retailer of Year

Mar 24, 2009

Also by this author

Also by Clint Engel

Featured Company

Surya

For more than 30 years, the name Surya has been synonymous with high quality, innovation and luxury. Our Fall 2009 collections are no exception. Our designers have masterfully created some of the most cutting edge and versatile pieces to date. Encompassing... more

Most Recent Resources

Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market

Here is a selection of products shown at this month's International Gift & Home Furnishings Market here.

Networking at the 13th annual F/T Leadership Conference

NAPLES, Fla. — Industry executives and guests took the opportunity to network and play golf during down time at Furniture/Today's 13th annual Leadership Conference here this month.