Manchester changes name to Thomas Hahn & Home
By Jeff Linville -- Furniture Today, April 30, 2007
High Point — Thomas Hahn & Home, formerly Manchester Furniture, unveiled new products and a new name at the High Point Market.
The name change represents what the company says is a new forward-thinking attitude and streamlined management.
The case goods company is owned by Ronald Thomas Hahn, former president of Universal Furniture. He started in 1995 by importing casual dining from Asia, soon adding occasional furniture. The name Manchester is the street he lives on in nearby Greensboro, N.C.
When he was at Universal, Hahn sourced some goods from a factory in Malaysia. He was impressed enough with the work that when he started his own business, he bought that factory and still runs goods through it today.
As Chinese imports grew, competition increased in dining and occasional. Management realized it needed to adapt or lose its business, said Kelly Hahn, vice president of marketing. The company added bedroom, formal dining and youth, and brought in designer Alexander Julian to work with the merchandising team a few years ago.
The company also is building a 350,000-square-foot plant in Vietnam. At first, the plant will support the Malaysian facility, but eventually will ship full groups itself.
The company will continue to source from China, said Kelly Hahn. But the company believes there's more control using a company-owned plant, such as giving retailers a definitive shipping date.
The original business model worked well for 11 years, said Hahn, but now the product mix has changed, management has been streamlined, and the company has narrowed its target to consumers ages 35 to 45. It also has made efforts to go "green."
This market, Hahn introduced E.C.O., Earth Conserving Opportunity, a line of bedroom and dining in Forest Stewardship Council-certified woods with water-based finishes. An E.C.O. bedroom suite will retail around $1,200 to $1,300.
