NHFA names Brashears, Stoney Creek Retailers of the Year

Stores will be saluted at April 19 gala during High Point Market

Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, March 16, 2010

Susan and Doug Brashears operate Brashears Furniture of Berryville, Ark., NHFA’s Retailer of the Year for stores with annual sales under $10 million. Inset: Dennis Novosel is founder and president of Stoney Creek Furniture in Stoney Creek, Ontario, named Retailer of the Year for large stores.

HIGH POINT — Brashears Furniture of Berryville, Ark., and Stoney Creek Furniture of Stoney Creek, Ontario, are the National Home Furnishings Assn.'s Retailers of the Year for 2010, the NFHA announced Monday.

Brashears is the honoree for stores with annual sales of $10 million or less, and Stoney Creek takes the honor for larger stores.

Both will be saluted at the Furniture Industry Awards Gala during next month's High Point Market, the evening of Monday, April 19, in the International Home Furnishings Center Ballroom, 11th floor, Green wing.

Nominated by their peers, the recipients are selected for their outstanding contributions to the home furnishings industry, exemplary service to the community and personal business achievements, according to the NHFA.

Brashears, operated by Doug and Susan Brashears, is a third-generation, family-owned business that has been serving customers in the Ozarks since 1935. It has stores in Berryville and Springdale, Ark., and Branson, Mo. Its motto is, "Things are a little different here," and it aims to help customers feel at home and enjoy their shopping experience.

The retailer is a member of industry groups including the NHFA and the Home Furnishings Independents Assn., and Doug and his father, Vol, are both past presidents of the Arkansas Homefurnishings Assn. Brashears has won other furniture industry and local business awards, and has worked to support local charities and the Susan G. Komen foundation. It donated several truckloads of furniture to a Missouri family featured on ABC-TV's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

"Brashears has excelled in personal business achievements and company leadership. These innovations resulted in increased sales and profit performance," NHFA said in its announcement.

Stoney Creek Furniture, led by founder and President Dennis Novosel, has grown from a small-town store 40 years ago to what today is Canada's largest furniture showroom.

Novosel borrowed $1,000 from his sister and brother-in-law to open the store on land owned by his father, Ivan, who had immigrated to Canada from Croatia in 1927 and operated other businesses before retiring. The property was in the Golden Horseshoe area between Niagara Falls and Toronto, now Canada's wealthiest market, according to the NHFA.

Stoney Creek carries a broad array of product with 350 decorated room settings. It says its key strategies are service, selection, style and strategic marketing, with customer service the top priority. It has won a number of business honors in its home region and in the home furnishings industry.

Novosel helped found the Canadian Home Furnishings Assn., now part of NHFA, and was the first Canadian to serve as president of NHFA in 2004. He also has served on other industry boards, and the store has supported a number of charities - at home and abroad - throughout its existence.

"The reason I'm so involved with the furniture industry is because I just love it!" Novosel said. "And I don't think it's too altruistic an idea that if we all get together and learn, change, and evolve, we'll make it!"

More High Point Market April 2010 Coverage