Sunday shopping comes to some High Point stores
Jay McIntosh, News Editor -- Furniture Today, June 27, 2005
Here in the High Point area, our Bible Belt just got loosened a notch by a group of furniture stores breaking with a longstanding tradition. Led by Boyles Furniture's big store in Jamestown, N.C., about a dozen local furniture retailers have decided to open on Sundays.
I suspect this is one of the few areas in the United States where this still is an issue. But the move made the front page of a local paper, the Greensboro News & Record. A story noted that some stores still choose to remain closed on Sundays, including Top 100 player Furnitureland South, which like Boyles is in Jamestown.
In most places, and in most other consumer products industries, Sunday is accepted as a shopping day. My survey of some Top 100 furniture stores around the country found that just about all of them have Sunday hours, although it's generally a short day, typically 11 a.m. or noon to 5 or 6 p.m.
A notable exception is Salt Lake City-based R.C. Willey, which is closed Sundays but has longer hours than most stores the rest of the week, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
At Boyles, which is part of Top 100 company Hendricks Furniture Group of Hickory, N.C., its Jamestown store manager, Dan Minor, told the newspaper the store had resisted opening on Sundays but finally decided it had to, in order to accommodate customers. The High Point area draws many out-of-town furniture shoppers who may need that extra day.
Besides, more competing stores that are open on Sundays have set up shop here in recent years. Rooms To Go, Bassett Furniture Direct, Sofa Express and others stay busy both weekend days. Discounters like Sam's Club, Costco and Big Lots gladly will sell you a sofa any day you like.
While we're not likely to see 24-hour furniture stores anytime soon — except on the Internet, which is still more a vehicle for research than for purchasing — the Sunday hours represent a small step toward satisfying consumer demands for convenience. Trouble is, most furniture shoppers also want professional service, and retailers can't have salespeople working 70-hour weeks. It's a balancing act.
At Furnitureland South, owner Darrell Harris, defending his decision to remain closed Sundays, sounded like Eric Liddell, the Scottish runner depicted in the movie "Chariots of Fire" who chose not to compete on Sunday in the 1924 Olympics. He found another race to run on a different day and still earned his gold medal.
Harris said he's willing to make his money Monday through Saturday, passing up business to give his employees and customers a day for worship and family. He said he thinks "God will honor our decision" to stay closed on the Sabbath.
If every store that opens on Sundays gets excluded from heaven, there will be lots of good shopping in the nether world. I hope they take Discover.
Opinion columns are available online atwww.furnituretoday.com.
