Grand Manor debuts residential upholstery
By Gary Evans -- Furniture Today, October 17, 2009
LENOIR, N.C. — A new line of upper-end residential upholstery will debut at this month's High Point Market.
Called Grand Manor Reserve, the line is a new division of Grand Manor, a hospitality furniture manufacturer. The division is headed by industry veteran Harold Clark and is the 45-year-old company's first foray in residential.
Bill Johnson, Grand Manor's president and CEO, said the line “is a logical extension” of the company's high-quality contract and hospital business and will be aimed at the decorator trade.
“Our studies tell us that the upper end and decorator segment of the industry has weathered the economic downtown best and will be the first to make a strong rebound, thus reinforcing our new strategies,” said Johnson.
Grand Manor Reserve, which will exhibit at market on the mezzanine level of Market Square, space M-71, will offer 14 sofa groups and about 35 occasional chairs.
“Basically, for the time being, we will be more of a traditional house,” said Clark. “As time goes on and we develop more product, we'll move into wherever the trade pushes us to go.”
Retail price points on the sofa line range from $1,499 to $2,999. Except for some carved show wood imported from China, the line will be domestically made using domestic fabrics, Clark said. Many of the sofas and chairs feature show wood and will be available in Grand Manor's 16 standard finishes. The company is stressing customization and quality.
“Our core business is building custom contract furniture and we plan to offer that flexibility in our residential line as well,” said Clark.
Grand Manor Reserve will be manufactured in Grand Manor's 100,000-square-foot factory here. Clark said the company is in the process of a small expansion “to be ready to do another $4 million or $5 million,” has cleared four acres of land for future expansion, and also has access to another facility.
“If this thing takes off like we think it will, we'll move into that real quickly,” he said.
Johnson and Clark previously worked together at both Broyhill and La-Z-Boy. Clark came out of retirement to join Grand Manor, and last worked for Texas-based upholstery source Nuance Furniture.
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