Grand Rapids Furniture Company History

The first companies that would mass produce furniture on the scale the city would become known for opened in the 1850s but it wasn t until the 1870s that this growing industry would receive national and international attention.

Grand rapids furniture company history. Company changes name to the gunn furniture co. Incorporated the following year. Company completes a new factory at 1101 godfrey avenue sw. Plant expands to include former grand rapids piano case factory next door.

Made possible through a generous grant by the furniture manufacturers heritage advised fund grand rapids community foundation furniture city history is a sister site to history grand rapids. More information about the history and heritage of the furniture industry in grand rapids is also available on the grand rapids public museum website. Is established and incorporated. Johnson brothers begin johnson furniture co.

Gunn adds a retail furniture department to his hardware business. Gunn folding bed co. The grand rapids companies and the number of their employees have been excerpted from the report. Firm is purchased by baker furniture co but furniture is still produced under the grand rapids chair name.

Brown and john c. Century purchased by r. Grand rapids michigan successor to gunn folding bed co. Grand rapids furniture factories in 1909 the first annual report of the michigan department of labor in 1910 was a volume over 500 pages.

An engaging exploration of the industry that gave grand rapids its nickname. The man considered the main instigator of grand rapids furniture industry was william haldane who came to the city from ohio and opened one of its first cabinet shops in 1836. Sligh founded the company in 1880 after working for berkey gay as a finisher and traveling salesman in 1874. Click the history grand rapids logo at the left to.

Sligh traveled to central america and established the honduras mahogany co which purchased mahogany timber in honduras cut it in new orleans and shipped it to grand rapids. Company operates as a subsidiary of sligh lowery but continues to produce furniture under the grand rapids chair name. Tom handley hired as staff designer. Murray president of murray furniture company and designer david l.

Incorporated as the century furniture company after the death of rickenbaugh. The grand rapids furniture association created in 1881 was made for purpose of protecting furniture manufacturers and dealers. Company purchased by edsko hekman and a group of associates. Johnson handley johnson organized as a companion company utilizing the same factory showrooms and officers as johnson furniture co.

In 1883 charles r.