Hooker Furniture gets a lift
New line of mechanized plasma cabinets proves to be a hit at retail
By Tom Edmonds -- Furniture Today, January 23, 2005
Martinsville, Va. — Mechanized plasma cabinets have helped Hooker Furniture lift its domestic production.
The lift cabinets, which automatically raise or lower a plasma monitor at the push of a button, have been a gangbusters 2004 addition to the Hooker lineup, contributing to the first annual increase in domestic production in several years, according to Hank Long, senior vice president, merchandising and design.
Hooker offers freestanding lift cabinets in four styles, and also sells three others that are incorporated into wall-unit collections.
"From a style point of view, the groundbreaker was getting into some more transitional looks," Long said. "We are pretty traditional for the most part, but this plasma customer seems to be a little more transitional."
Traditional dark and light cherry models are doing well for Hooker, but transitional looks, such as the black City Scapes model with reeded glass that was introduced in October, found an instant audience with its retailers. They see younger adults as the primary market for furniture that matches the technology appeal of the plasma television.
At $3,600 to $3,800 retail, the price for these cabinets is not an obstacle, Long said.
"The consumer is paying that much or more for the TV, and the cabinet has got the 'wow' factor that completes the presentation of this high-status appliance."
The key to success with these cabinets, Long added, is an extremely reliable lift supplier.
"With anything moving, there are going to be problems that furniture retailers don't want to wrestle with," he said. "We are scoring very high in our customer satisfaction because of quick and attentive service from our supplier.
"Every month, there's somebody else walking through the door trying to sell us another version of this, but they haven't put together a national service organization. That's what it takes to work with us."
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