Racing Furniture to make High Point debut
By Joan Gunin -- Furniture Today, March 31, 2003
High Point — A furniture veteran and a local sportscaster have climbed into the driver's seat to steer Racing Furniture to the starting line this market.
Brown Councill, former vice president of merchandising at Councill Craftsmen, and Jay Shurling, former local sports announcer for FOX-TV, have teamed up to market motor-sports-themed leather upholstery to racing enthusiasts.
Councill is a racing fan and Shurling covered many NASCAR races. They met through contacts in the racing industry. Councill is chief executive officer and Shurling chief operating officer of Racing Furniture, which has been in startup mode for about 18 months.
"We are interpreting motor-sports as furniture, with products meant to enhance racecar lovers' love for the sport," said Councill, who heads licensing and design.
Shurling, who oversees operations, said, "These products are designed to go where NASCAR is going, not where it's been."
Racing Furniture's line is licensed by NASCAR and the National Hot Rod Assn., and offers revenue and branding opportunities for race sponsors and teams.
Although making its industry debut in Market Square this market, the company has been distributing product for about eight months to the motorsports industry via racing Web sites, print publications, catalogs, car dealers, specialty racing stores and auto shows.
In High Point, Racing Furniture is seeking placements at stores near racetracks. "We're also looking for midlevel dealers as well as sales reps who have a love for motorsports," Councill said. "They should be able to understand furniture and talk cars too."
The stationary "starting line" assortment salutes 12 drivers, including Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson, with such motifs as Gordon's signature flame and Harvick's blade. Generic-themed sofas and chairs sans driver emblems also are available.
An 83-inch frame is used as the basis for each sofa, fashioned after the backseat of a Monte Carlo, Ford Taurus or Dodge Intrepid. A companion ottoman for stationary seating features a pop-up lid and insulated beer cooler. "You'll never have to leave your seat during a race," Councill said.
The ready-to-assemble seating is imported from China and employs top-grain, channel-quilted, perforated Fu Xing leather on the inside back, with tight seats and hand-cut leather adornments. Hardwood frames feature continuous sinuous wire suspensions.
The sofas retail at $1,995 in all leather or $1,495 for leather only in the seat area. Chairs are $995 and $750.
Two-week delivery to customer's homes is available on in-stock items, warehoused in Ohio. Non-stocked merchandise requires 10 to 12 weeks. For a nominal fee, pieces can be assembled before delivery.
A recliner is in the works. The chair's lever will be modeled after a stick-shift provided by racecar owner Richard Childress, Councill said. Racing Furniture also will add microfiber and promotionally priced fabric versions for manufactured homes.
The company's Web site is www.racingfurniture.com.
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