The Southern Illinoisan
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT
Friday, February 25, 2011
For nearly three decades, these West Frankfort stores have worked together for one powerful purpose: To better serve the people of the region they revere BY JOE SZYNKOWSKI FOR THE SOUTHERN
On a snowy Saturday morning in early February, Jim White sits patiently in the softly lit showroom of BFJ Interiors in West Frankfort, waiting for the day’s first customers to walk through the doors. He is relaxed and reflective, explaining how his staff’s attention to customer satisfaction has kept his furniture business running smoothly since the 1920s. “We do everything we can to help the community of West Frankfort,” he says. Then, as if on cue, it happens. White jumps up from his wooden chair, switches on the rest of the building’s main lights and alerts his staff: “We’ve got customers.” After taking a few seconds to knock the snow loose from their shoes, two customers enter BFJ. Yes, even as the winter weather hampers visibility outside this historic building, the identity of West Frankfort’s storied downtown is easy to see. E.R. Brown Furniture Co., West Frankfort House Furnishing Co., and Coleman-Rhoads join BFJ as the four main businesses that comprise “The Furniture Capital of Southern Illinois.” They are clustered together on Main Street, making furniture shopping a geographically convenient experience for consumers. Each possesses unique characteristics, but it is what they all share in common their genuine regard for the people of West Frankfort that turned competition into collaboration nearly three decades ago. CONTINUED ON PAGE 6F
2F
www.thesouthern.com
THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2011
E.R. Brown Furniture Co. Extraordinary history, exciting furniture BY JOE SZYNKOWSKI FOR THE SOUTHERN
H
istory envelops anyone who walks in the tall glass doors at E.R. Brown Furniture Co. One look up offers a forever view of the original tin ceilings. A downward glance unveils the original oak hardwood floors. Owner Sloan Brown certainly embraces his store’s past. After all, it was his grandfather, E.R., who opened the doors in 1914, and his father, Warren, who originally tabbed West Frankfort “The Furniture Capital of Southern Illinois.” But his store’s future is what has Sloan most excited. His sons, Kyle and Matt, are following in the family footsteps. Kyle is a 2010 graduate from Southern Illinois University’s business college, while Matt plans to graduate from SIUC with an accounting degree this year. Kyle already works at the store full time. Matt works part time on weekends. Both are passionate about carrying on the family tradition. “I obviously feel very fortunate because there are stores out there that have no one to turn it over to,” Sloan Brown said. “Here, I’ve got two guys. I know their grandfather and great-uncles and great-grandfather would be very happy, too.” Nearly 100 years after opening, E.R. Brown is still thriving. The store’s forward-thinking approaches and emphasis on its customers have kept furniture flying out the doors. “The 36 years I’ve been here, the past year was the best year we’ve ever had,” Sloan Brown said. “This year, so far has gotten off to just as good as a start. Our special New Year’s Day events are always the springboards that launch us into a good start to the year.” The family has also opened a new specialization shop just two doors down the block from E.R. Brown. The Browns renovated a building that previously housed a realty company, and they now sell lift chairs and adjustable beds. “We probably have the largest selection of lift chairs in stock in the tri-state area,” Matt said.
STEVE JAHNKE / THE SOUTHERN
Opened in 1914, E.R. Brown Furniture is the oldest of the stores in West Frankfort. Current store owner Sloan Brown will one day turn the business over to his two sons, Kyle (left) and Matt. The store offers a wide selection of La-Z-Boy brand furniture.
“If it wasn’t for (Kyle and Matt) there wouldn’t have been the new facility,” Sloan Brown said. “We even have more plans beyond that. That just shows you what young ideas can turn into.” Young ideas have been coming out of Kyle and Matt’s minds since they were both in high school. Kyle always knew he wanted to help run the family business, Matt didn’t decide until his freshman year of college. They both feel up to the challenge of keeping the business going. “We just have to keep doing the same things we’ve been doing,” Kyle said. “The fact that we’re going to be here for a long time to come sets us apart,” Matt Brown added. E.R. Brown helped guarantee a promising future for his family business by the way he helped customers through hard times, especially economic disasters like the Great Depression. “During the depression years and the coal mine strikes, people would write Mr. Brown,” Sloan Brown said. “They would thank him for allowing them to skip a
payment or cut their payment down to a dollar a week just to get them through the hard times. So that’s certainly stuck with me.” Sloan Brown tries to duplicate his grandfather’s acts of kindness. “There are times when people run into hard times and we can work out an agreement with them to get them through those times,” he said. “That pays off not only to them, but it’s also paid off to their fathers and grandfathers and grandmothers through the years who have bought furniture from us. The same held true for them.” Sloan Brown credits his employees, some who have been with the store for decades, for helping create happy customers over the years. “Your store is only as successful as your employees make it,” he says. “We’ve been fortunate enough to always have very good, committed, loyal employees.” Every task at E.R. Brown — from shoveling snow off the sidewalks to handling deliveries promptly and professionally — is
DETAILS Phone: 618-932-2012 Address: 401 E. Main St., West Frankfort Hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday completed with the goal of impressing and satisfying customers. “Southern Illinois through the years has not been quite as affected as the rest of the nation as far as economic problems,” Sloan Brown said. “Our No. 1 motto has been customer satisfaction, not only during the sale but after the sale. I think that’s really gotten us through the hard times.” That kind of dedication will surely pay dividends in the future, as well. “All of us, we don’t just come in for the day, but for tomorrow, too,” he added. “We have plans for our business and that’s one of the most positive aspects of the store.”
THANK YOU! To Our Customers Who Have Made Four Generations of Being in Business Possible!
“I’ve seen a lot in 97 years! Two World Wars, a Great Depression and several coal mine strikes. But here I am, still cranking away! My boss’ motto of Old Fashioned Service and Quality Commitment hold true!”
Quality • Service • Customer Satisfaction “Since 1914” Store Hours: Mon-Sat 8am to 5pm FREE IN-STORE FINANCING!
401 E. Main West Frankfort 618-932-2012
3F
www.thesouthern.com
THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2011
Coleman-Rhoads Furniture Regional reach with small-town charm BY JOE SZYNKOWSKI FOR THE SOUTHERN
C
oleman-Rhoads has outgrown the label “local business.” The company has delivered furniture pieces to customers in Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania and Georgia, just to name a few states. “That’s not an everyday thing, but it does happen,” said co-owner Steve Rhoads. “It’s just harder and harder for the consumer to find the amount of furniture and the variety that we can give them here in West Frankfort.” Balancing the national attention that its extensive, user-friendly website provides with the small-town principles that have kept Coleman-Rhoads in business since 1973 is a giant task for owners Rhoads and Brent Coleman. And they wouldn’t have it any other way. “We are definitely a regional business,” Rhoads said. “Our legitimate, everyday business is anywhere within 100 miles of West Frankfort. We routinely cover the 16 southernmost counties in the state.” Rhoads credits loyal customers and a slew of savvy business decisions for the rapid development of Coleman-Rhoads, but says none were more important than the 13,000-square-foot expansion the store underwent in 1989. The dealers were approached by national manufacturer Thomasville Furniture about putting in a large gallery of their pieces. They jumped at the chance. “When we did that addition, there were five stores going out of business in Southern Illinois,” Rhoads recalled. “Everybody probably thought we were a little bit nuts, but sometimes that is when you have to take that leap of faith.” Coleman-Rhoads has been able to balance that boldness to expand with the smarts of knowing when to scale things back. It’s an ever-changing process for small businesses, Rhoads says. “We’ve continued to change and evolve throughout the years,” Rhoads said. “It’s necessary to do that in the business world. The thing about furniture is that it is a major purchase that can be postponable sometimes. It’s a window with a consumer. They don’t do this everyday. Our approach is customer-oriented. Having a lot of different choices is a huge benefit to the consumers.” Coleman-Rhoads certainly offers its customers plenty of choices. Galleries and vignettes of a great variety of items are the selling point of this loaded showroom. Rhoads estimates his store sells upwards of 40 different vendors, including the popular leather manufacturer Natuzzi. “One of the biggest changes in the last 10 years has been the growth of leather furniture,” he said. “We are a big leather dealer. We’ve got the large Natuzzi gallery
DETAILS Phone: 618-932-2128 Address: 300 E. Main St., West Frankfort Hours: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday STEVE JAHNKE / THE SOUTHERN
Steve Rhoads (left) is a co-owner of Coleman-Rhoads Furniture. Co-owners Brent Coleman and his wife, Paula, (right) sit in one of the Kincaid display rooms at the store. One of the store’s most recent additions is its line of Smith Brothers of Berne. The store also offers Natuzzi (below), a line of Italian-inspired furniture.
that is about 4,000 square feet of nothing but leather furniture.” Coleman-Rhoads opened in 1973 under the original name Coleman’s Corner. Rhoads came on board in 1980 a few years after moving to West Frankfort from Bloomington-Normal. He quickly caught on to the trends that helped make the store a success, and tried to build upon them. “We have just always tried to help people with their experience,” Rhoads said. “There are times when a sofa may look good in the store and they may not be happy with how it looks when they get it home. You have to consider everything from the lamps, tables and other accessories. That’s where we can be helpful to them.” Coleman-Rhoads helps its customers in other ways, too, especially if they are from West Frankfort. Whether through
sponsoring sports teams, or donating to special city projects, Coleman-Rhoads and the other three furniture dealers are usually willing to lend their names. “All of us are involved individually supporting local athletics and events,” Rhoads said. “As a group I know we’ve been sponsors with high school sports. The park pool, we made a sizeable donation to get that going. Not to mention together we employ a lot of folks.” Rhoads’ favorite part of being in the furniture business is making a daily impact on peoples’ lives. “We’re dealing with consumers’ homes,” he said. “All of our homes are very important to us. The idea that we can help make that a better or more enjoyable place to spend time is the most enjoyable part. You’re improving the daily lives of people.”
Premier Furniture Lines Extraordinarily displayed Beautiful gallery format
300 E. Main Street in Downtown West Frankfort • 932-2128
4F
www.thesouthern.com
THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2011
BFJ Interiors Easing the minds of anxious buyers BY JOE SZYNKOWSKI FOR THE SOUTHERN
A
ccording to Jim White, the furniture industry is a fickle one. “If I had all the answers,” he says, “I’d be a wealthy man.” White and his wife, Keri, own BFJ Interiors, which originally opened in Johnston City in 1921. The Whites took over the store from Keri’s parents a couple of years ago and have kept the family business rolling along. “Keeping the store in the family makes it an easy transition but also puts a lot of responsibility on you,” White said. “I think between the original owners and now there has only been one owner outside of the family.” White, who has worked in some form of sales his entire career, laughs when he tries to explain the unpredictability of the furniture consumer. “A lot of times if they’re going to forgo a family vacation or something like that they’re probably going to do something to their home,” he said. “But if the real estate market is down, they’re not going to sink a lot of money into making it look nicer to sell it. But by the same token they’re going to be keeping their home longer so they want it to look better.” No matter what drives people to BFJ, White knows business is good. He noticed an increase in sales after the 2008 presidential election and again after the recent mid-term election. He says there is a direct correlation between economic stability and the public’s spending habits. “I think the whole industry starting around 9/11 took a downturn,” White said. “There
was just a lot of uncertainty and unrest about a lot of different things. Whenever the economy started going down people were holding tight to their money. “If you think about it, we’re not a necessity. They think long and hard before they spend anything on furnishings.” BFJ’s huge showroom houses more than 100 brands of furniture and accessories. Some of the more popular brands are Bassett, Stanley and Flexsteel. “The trend has been to the more casual,” White said. “People used to have the formal living room and dining rooms. Pretty much now they are shifting to the family areas. That’s probably been the biggest trend.” Staying ahead of the new trends is what has helped BFJ stand apart from other furniture stores, White said. The store was the first to embrace contemporary styles back in the late-1980s and early 90s when most stores were still selling more traditional pieces. Finding your niche is key, White says, especially when your closest competitor is few doors down. “If we have a customer looking for a specific brand, we tell them where it is,” he said. “If we don’t have something that they’re looking for we tell them where it is. Customers appreciate that and the other owners appreciate it. “Of course, we’re trying to make a living and we have bills to pay. So naturally we want to sell everything we can. I want to do it in a way I’m comfortable with.” Most smart buyers will check options before making a final decision, White says, but there are exceptions. “We had some parents taking their daughter to
STEVE JAHNKE / THE SOUTHERN
BFJ Interiors is West Frankfort’s second-oldest furniture store, started in the 1920s in Johnston City. Pictured above is owner Jim White. The store offers a wide array of Bassett and Paula Dean brand furniture.
DETAILS Phone: 618-932-3265 Address: 313 E. Main St., West Frankfort Hours: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday SIU from Chicago,” he recalled. “They saw a bedroom display in the window on their drive through town. The next time they visited their daughter, they came in and took it home after we boxed it up. You just never know.” White understands that
buying furniture can be an overwhelming experience, especially considering the variety of options from which customers have the opportunity to choose. “We just show them what we have,” he said. “We’re not a high-pressure staff. We’re not
BIG Store Selection
Small Town Convenience
313 E. Main St. • West Frankfort, IL 618.932.3265 www.bfjinteriors.com • FREE DELIVERY
going to walk around the store behind them trying to close a sale. “We greet people when they come in. We just make it a point to check in with them once or twice. We’re not going to hound them, and I think they appreciate that.”
5F
www.thesouthern.com
THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2011
West Frankfort House Furnishing Co. Adapting for success in the business world BY JOE SZYNKOWSKI FOR THE SOUTHERN
DETAILS
C
Phone: 618-932-6710 Address: 202. W. Main St., West Frankfort Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.4:30 p.m. Saturday
lick and brick. That’s how Andy Brown, manager of West Frankfort House Furnishing Co., describes his store’s edge in the expanding business landscape. Back before box stores, malls and online shopping existed, stores like the one Brown manages depended on word of mouth and simple principles to succeed. “Historically, the downtowns were always the strong retail shopping outlets before the malls,” Brown said. “That’s where everybody wanted to be. Once the malls came around, that changed the buying habits. And now with online shopping people have a lot of different options.” Rather than let national chains overtake small businesses, Brown said stores like his were forced to adapt. “The advantage we still have is click and brick,” he said. “People can do advanced shopping on the computer and actually come into the building to feel and experience the furniture for themselves. That’s the advantage we have — the full shopping experience.” Brown’s grandfather opened West Frankfort House Furnishing in 1946 to satisfy a growing consumer demand for quality furniture. Brown joined the family venture full time in the mid-1970s after graduating from DePauw University in Indiana with a degree in business and economics. “I grew up working the stores in the summer and on breaks,” Brown said. “It just kind of becomes part of your life after you see your father and family members involved for so long.” Brown was switched to another family-owned store —
West Frankfort House Furnishing is run by Andy Brown (left), older brother of E.R. Brown’s Sloan Brown. With him is his nephew, Matt Brown, one of two sons of Sloan Brown. Both he and his brother, Kyle, will eventually take over the family business.
STEVE JAHNKE / THE SOUTHERN
Chapman-Rollo in Murphysboro — in 1976. He returned to West Frankfort House Furnishing 13 years later and has engineered several expansions, including an addition in 1990. “Things seem to be getting busier all of the time, which is good,” Brown said. “I think the national and local recession aren’t completely finished, but things are letting up a lot and people are feeling better about their spending.” Brown learned many lessons from his father, Warren, who played a big role in establishing the current status of West Frankfort’s successful furniture industry. “We always learned that the customer comes first,” Brown said. “That included any service or anything as far as customer complaints. Things like a loose leg on a sofa, a squeaky spring on mattress or sofa or a loose zipper. Once that phone call is made, that wheel starts turning to take care of that customer.”
Another way Brown pays tribute to his predecessors is by honoring the history they left behind and appreciating the customers who keep the business open and growing. The store’s original cash register still sits atop the front counter of the store. “The things that we maintain and keep doing are what keep people coming back,” Brown said. “There’s a legacy of customer service and offering quality furniture at reasonable prices.” Finding the right furniture to show and sell in his store is a multi-faceted process for Brown. “There’s obviously more and more emphasis on the Internet, but a lot of companies still have traveling salesman, which is good,” he said. “We still need a personal link between the dealer and the manufacturer. That personal touch is still very important.” Although some things will never change with Brown, he is
certainly open to expanding his knowledge of furniture. “I’ve been doing this for 37 years and I’m still learning something new every week,” he said. He attends seminars sponsored by the National Home Furnishing Association, and just like the other dealers in West Frankfort, Brown enjoys traveling to the international furniture conference in High Point, N.C., every year. The home furnishings
market features more than 10 million square feet of show space and 2,000 exhibitors. “It’s just like the customer coming into our store, actually being able to see and feel the furniture,” Brown said. “We get to network with dealers and if you can pick up one idea, it’s worthwhile. It’s all about helping the customers, making the business more efficient, and hopefully more profitable.”
Winter Sofa Event what’s your style? Sofas starting at only $599*
AMERICAN
MADE
0
%
AMERICAN
QUALITY
12 Months FREE Financing Interest FREE through 2011
choose your frame & fabric it’s easy & affordable As Little As
21
DAYS!
*See store for details. Limited selection of sofas and fabrics available at this price. Prices may vary with selected fabrics and sofas.
202 W. Main • Downtown West Frankfort 618-932-6710
6F
www.thesouthern.com
THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2011
By the numbers
Furniture lines
Choices abound in the ‘Furniture Capital of Southern Illinois.’ Here’s what you’ll find in the four furniture stores:
BJF Interiors Bassett Flexsteel Stanley
155 Beds
Coleman-Rhoads Hooker Natuzzi Lane Kincaid Thomasville Tempur-Pedic 160 Entertainment Centers
760 Lamps
E.R. Brown Broyhill La-Z-Boy Riverside Chromcraft Peters-Revington Vaughan-Bassett
475 Recliners
390 Sofas/Sectionals
The catchphrase In the early 1980s, Warren Brown came up with the idea to integrate the business interests of all four stores into one catchy advertising slogan. He called the owners together over coffee to discuss the possibility of working as a team. The owners agreed and “The Furniture Capital of Southern Illinois” was born. It was an impressive bit of foresight by Brown, who understood that even though the businesses could probably stand successfully on their own, they could thrive together. “He knew that in a small town, what’s good for one is good for all,” said West Frankfort House Furnishing manager Andy Brown, son of the late Warren Brown. “And by joining forces, you have a little bit more power with a group as opposed to one individual trying to do it all. That legacy continues today.” Andy’s younger brother, Sloan Brown, owns E.R. Brown Furniture. He remembers their dad’s stories about how West Frankfort was in a perfect position to reap the benefits of a united effort. “He thought with taking advantage of the locale being in the central part of Southern Illinois that we could advertise together and draw people from a larger area, which would obviously lead to more customers,” Sloan said. “Through the years, that’s certainly held true.” BFJ’s White and Coleman-Rhoads co-owner Steve Rhoads weren’t part of the West Frankfort furniture family back when the catchphrase was coined, but they’re sure glad to embrace their community’s history. “It’s probably the best thing they’ve ever done,” White said. “You can spend half your money fighting each other trying to drive each other out of business. Or you can work together to try to pull people in, which is what they did.” Rhoads agrees. “I don’t know if we were really the furniture capital of Southern Illinois back then, but we sure are now,” said Rhoads, who co-owns his store with Brent Coleman. “Anybody that has been here knows that.”
Furniture families Passing the torch is a common theme among these furniture families. Coleman’s Corner became Coleman-Rhoads in 1980 when Rhoads bought out Coleman’s father, Archie. White has owned BFJ Interiors for three years with his wife, Keri, whose parents, Pete and Susie, owned the store before them.
But the Browns’ family history goes back the furthest among the four stores. West Frankfort’s oldest establishment, E.R. Brown, sold only wooden pieces when it opened in 1914. Thirty-two years later, E.R. Brown decided to open another store down the street with the help of his two sons, Warren and Robert. Now close to handing over the family endeavor to its fourth generation, Sloan Brown’s sons, Kyle and Matt, the family has set the precedence for how to keep tradition alive. “I pretty much knew I wanted to join the family business since I was in high school,” said Kyle, who works at E.R. Brown full time after graduating from Southern Illinois University Carbondale last year. “I would come in and work summers just doing everything from putting handles in dressers to helping clean the store. We just grew up around it.” It’s not just bloodlines that are important to West Frankfort’s furniture dealers. By sponsoring local sports teams, special events and city projects, the owners have continuously strived to make customers and community members feel like extended parts of their families. The stores’ staffs take pride in re-investing the money they earn into their city. “That’s one of the main things that you’ll get from purchasing from one of the West Frankfort dealers,” White said. “The money is in West Frankfort. It isn’t a storefront that’s corporate office is in Chicago or China or wherever. This is people in West Frankfort or surrounding communities that work here. A lot of the money is put back into different things in West Frankfort.”
City pride Economically, West Frankfort has seen its peaks and valleys. Like most small towns across the nation, generating jobs does not always come easily. In order to survive through downturns like the Great Depression or the more recent recession, these furniture owners have stayed true to what their customers know and love. “They’re well-established businesses with honest, trustworthy people running things,” said West Frankfort Economic Developer Don Gass. “That’s why people go there and that’s why they get so much repeat business.” The city of West Frankfort has made it a priority to make sure it remains the “Furniture Capital.” Enterprise enactments have helped provide the
West Frankfort House Furnishing Co. La-Z-Boy England Campbell Mattress Lea Riverside
businesses’ owners some tax incentives to improve their facilities. “They’ve gone out of their way to help their strong businesses,” Sloan Brown said. West Frankfort is glad to assist the pillars of its historic downtown. “We’re all just hometown people who work together and help each other out,” said West Frankfort Mayor Tom Jordan. “If you walk down this main street looking for furniture and you can’t find what you want, then you don’t know what you want.” Jordan — mayor since September — is a West Frankfort native who retired as a city firefighter in 2009 after 33 years of service. He loves serving the people of West Frankfort, a trait he says he shares with his city’s furniture dealers. “They are very aware of their customers’ needs,” Jordan said. “They provide them great, quality furniture no matter what the economy is like. During times of economic growth, they have been there for people looking to buy a lot of furniture. When times are tough, they will work with people and help figure something out match their budgets.”
Cooperation over competition So what is it like to share a street with not only one, but three of your business rivals? “We kind of call ourselves friendly competitors,” Andy Brown said. “By the end of the year, everyone has an equal share. If Mrs. Jones doesn’t find something here, hopefully she’ll find it down the street. We’re always good and open-minded to suggest that they check with the other stores.” Andy Brown has kept copies of all of the newspaper advertisements the four dealers have collaborated on over the years for their annual New Year’s Day sales. The humorous ads depict the dealers as cowboys, football referees and politicians, among other attention-getting characters. “Yeah, those create a lot of talk and ribbing from the customers,” Andy Brown said. All joking and cowboy hats aside, the ads are indicative of how the dealers put aside personal business interests for the betterment of the communities and consumer base they respect so much. “I really appreciate the fact that they’ve come together as a group,” Jordan said. “Each one could have said, ‘I’m going to be the only furniture store here’ and they could have worked to drive each other out of business. But they’ve really put their strengths together. That’s been great for other businesses in West Frankfort and the community as a whole.”
STEVE JAHNKE / THE SOUTHERN
Clockwise, from top left: BFJ Interiors offers a wide array of Bassett and Paula Dean brand furniture; E.R. Brown Furniture offers a wide-selection of Laz-Z-Boy brand furniture; ColemanRhoads features the Kincaid collection; West Frankfort House Furnishing has a newly renovated Laz-Z-Boy KIDZ section.