DESIGN AND FURNITURE FOR EVERY LIFESTYLE
ROBB & STUCKY’S NEW LOOK
ROBB & STUCKY BECAME THE NAME IN FORT MYERS AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT WAS SYNONYMOUS WITH QUALITY, INTEGRITY, SERVICE AND CREATIVITY. IT BECAME A TRUE BRAND.
Take a look around your home. That treasured old, heavy desk that’s been in your family for almost 100 years may have been bought from Robb & Stucky, right here in Fort Myers. In 1915, one year after Henry Ford opened the first Ford dealership in Fort Myers, and almost 10 years before a bridge was built across the Caloosahatchee River on the Tamiami Trail, Virgil Robb and W. R. Lee started the business as a general merchandise store. The population of Fort Myers was around 3,000— 10 times what it was in 1885 when Edison first visited the thriving village.
Harry Stucky joined the partnership in 1917. Barbara B. Mann, Fort Myers’ “First Lady of the Theater,” used to recall their beautiful homes in Dean Park and Stucky’s deep bass voice in
WHAT WAS THE FURNITURE LIKE BACK THEN? VISIT THE THOMAS EDISON AND HENRY FORD ESTATES— THEY BOTH BOUGHT HOME FURNISHINGS FROM ROBB & STUCKY.
their church choir. In 1925, Lee left the business, the name Robb & Stucky was acquired and the famous four- story building on Hendry Street was erected as a showroom and warehouse.
What was the furniture like back then? Visit the Thomas Edison and Henry Ford estates— they both bought home furnishings from Robb & Stucky.
Robb & Stucky became the name in Fort Myers and across the country that was synonymous with quality, integrity, service and creativity. It became a true brand. Because it was the first showroom to group furniture into lifestyle settings, not simply by manufacturer, Robb & Stucky is known as an industry leader in visual merchandising.
But as time rolled on and the company changed hands, dark times lay ahead. By February 2011, Robb & Stucky had around 30 locations, 1,200 employees and was $ 50 million in debt. After filing Chapter 11, Robb & Stucky’s sale to a professional liquidator was approved by federal court in Tampa. After 96 years, the giant in home furnishings and interior design was lost.
Today, Fort Myers’ population is close to 65,000, and the new Robb & Stucky International has risen like the phoenix. Soon after the liquidation, Taiwanese furniture veteran and longtime admirer of the Robb & Stucky brand Samuel Kuo, executive director of Samson Holdings, was able to purchase the name and all the intellectual assets with the intent of reviving the company. Kuo, with his deep respect for the American furniture trade, had already saved several furniture manufacturers in North Carolina, keeping them open and saving American jobs.
OUR GOAL IS TO KEEP THE BEST OF THE OLD COMPANY, WHILE MAKING IT MORE RELEVANT FOR TODAY’S CUSTOMERS.” — STEVE LUSH, PRESIDENT, ROBB & STUCKY INTERNATIONAL
Tapped to head the new Robb & Stucky team is Steve Lush, fourth- generation furniture veteran. Lush couldn’t be happier. “I’m a longtime admirer of the Robb & Stucky brand,” he says. “Because Fort Myers has always been the home of Robb & Stucky, which has deep roots in the community, it made sense to keep the main office here and open our first new showroom here. Our goal is to keep the best of the old company, while making it more relevant for today’s customers.
“We are a completely different company now,” he continues. “The old Robb & Stucky became known for its heavy, ornate, European- style furniture and high prices. The new Robb & Stucky is less stuffy, with beautiful, quality furniture that has today’s customer in mind, and at a variety of prices.”
The company also offers complete interior design services. “Our design professionals are among the best in the area,” says Lush.
“We are, and will always be, dedicated to great design, great customer service and to the communities we live in,” says Lush. “We’re now in Fort Myers, Naples and Sarasota. I think you’ll love the new Robb & Stucky.”
Here’s to the next 100 years. Freelance writer Dave Spiro grew up in Fort Myers and spent his career as the advertising creative director for major retail companies. He now lives in South Fort Myers.