Gillespie to head Livingston line
By Gary Evans -- Furniture Today, July 26, 2004
Livingston, Tenn. — Mid-priced upholstery producer Livingston Furniture has hired industry veteran Bob Gillespie to head a new line of promotional seating that will be launched at the Tupelo market in August.
The new Samuel Deane line will target the $499, $599 and $699 price points, just under the company's regular price range of $799 to $999, said owner Bill Fletcher.
"It's the dealers who've asked for (the new line) and that drives everyone's business," he said of the collection of 20 groups, each with sofa, loveseat, chair, ottoman, chair-and-a-half and sleeper. "They have a little trouble getting high-quality promotional pieces."
Fletcher said one of the things that will make Samuel Deane stand out from the pack "is quality. Then we're going to back it with a good warranty, including a lifetime warranty on the construction, frame and those kinds of things.
"The other thing is that you won't have to buy a truckload to get it," he continued. "We're going to take as few as four pieces to a dealer.... That's the need that smaller dealers told us they have. They don't want to have to buy a truckload or half a truckload, particularly in these slow economic times."
Fletcher expects the new line to do $5 million to $6 million in its first year and $10 million in its second.
Gillespie joins Livingston from Ecru, Miss.-based upholstery maker Southern Dreams, where he was national sales manager. He has 30 years experience in the industry, and will be national sales manager for the Samuel Deane line.
The company, which shows in space 1405 of the Tupelo 1 building, will offer traditional, casual and transitional styles at the August market. Sectionals are expected to be added later.
