Furniture sales down, but local store finds other ways to drum up interest
TEXARKANA, Texas — As it has been for other businesses, so it is in the furniture sales business. Things have slowed down measurably.
Brent Stewart, interior design expert for all the Four States Furniture stores, said that the pace of furniture shopping has noticeably slowed down among COVID-19 concerns and the related economic slowdown.
“People are not buying luxury items,” he said. “Mostly, they are buying necessities while they shelter in and take care of families.
“We don’t mind saying business is not as brisk as we are accustomed to, but we are still taking care of walk-ins as they come, answering the phone about orders and so forth.”
He said the store was following the Center for Disease Control’s guidelines.
“We are accustomed to customer closeness and don’t mind giving hugs normally,” Stewart said. “Naturally, that is out of the question at present. But we miss it and look forward to getting back to it.”
Four States Furniture just kicked off their three-weekend furniture auction and mattress giveaway. As of Saturday, lots of responses had come in for both events.
The online auction, where bids are put up on the store’s Facebook page, gives customers a chance at buying new furniture.
“There’s been a really good response to our auction,” Stewart said. “Also, our mattress giveaway for first responders and healthcare workers is going well. People submit a name and occupation on our Facebook page. At the end of each weekend, one person among them will be getting a new mattress.”
Stewart said he hopes to further develop this way of reaching out to customers once the current situation is resolved. He said he hopes the store can reopen near the end of April if conditions permit.
The company also has a store in Hope, Arkansas.