Legacy of quality service continues at Richmond Home Furnishings
Walter K. Jeczen walks around the expansive showroom of Richmond Home Furnishings, proudly showing off the impressive and unique inventory of furniture he offers his ever-growing customer base. While he built this locally-owned and operated business on his own, using hard work, high-quality merchandise and great customer service as the blueprint, there was someone important in his life who has been with him for the ride ever since he was born.
“I learned everything from my dad,” says Jeczen, who not only shares the same name as his father — and grandfather — but also the same drive and commitment to success. “My dad was a furniture broker, just like me. He was a pretty amazing furniture broker and salesman and he did it for 60 years. He taught me everything I know about selling furniture and how to deal with people.”
Jeczen’s late father, Walter K. Jeczen, Jr., was the co-owner of Jasen’s Fine Furniture — founded in 1951 by Jeczen’s late grandfather, Walter K. Jeczen, Sr.
No longer associated with Jasen’s Fine Furniture, the third-generation furniture
broker sold his interest in the business to establish Richmond Home Furnishings in 2017, and says he is honored to follow in the footsteps of his successful grandfather and father.
“I love being a furniture broker, just like my dad and grandfather,” he says. “I really enjoy serving the interests of this amazing community. We here at Richmond Home Furnishings are committed to providing excellent and honorable service to our customers as we honor my father and grandfather’s legacy as great men of integrity and pride in this honorable retail trade.”
Jeczen, 58, lived with his father and took care of him during the final years of his life. “My dad and I built this store together literally a year before he died,” says Walter. “He helped me get it up and running and knew it would be successful.” And it’s been hugely successful.
Richmond Home Furnishings has experienced amazing growth and success over the past half-decade. “We have tripled our numbers in sales for five consecutive years,” says Jeczen. “I had bought over $100,000 worth of inventory and during COVID we ran a buy one, get one free sale on four separate recliners in specific fabrics and they flew out of the store. We ended that sale about a year after COVID and have been thriving ever since.”
Richmond Home Furnishings offers unique furniture from some of the best furniture makers in the country including American-made Best Home Furnishings, the Flexsteel collection, high-end Amish pieces and Ashley.
What sets Richmond Home Furnishings apart is “we are not your typical furniture store,” Jeczen says. “You won’t find what you find here in any other store. We have a very high return rate because people like the high quality of what we offer. We get a lot of word of mouth advertising and that’s the best kind because people who buy here are pleased with the results.
“And we only carry high quality products and our prices keep them affordable for our clients. We are a service-first company; and are always here to answer any questions about a product line.”
Jeczen, who grew up in Clinton Township, says he “absolutely loves Richmond.”
“It’s a phenomenal place to live and work,” he says. “I had a condo in New Baltimore with my dad for the last few years of his life so I could take care of him and when he passed I bought a home in Riley Township and it takes me two minutes to get to work. I just love it here.”
Jeczen, who is legally blind, brings his seeing-eye golden retriever Luna to the store every day. “Our customers just love Luna,” he says. “We don’t pressure people like some other stores. We are there to
help if they want it and answer any questions but there is no high-pressure salesperson following people around. Luna might follow you around though. We respect the shopping experience.”
Richmond Home Furnishings has an extensive online store and they deliver all
over the state. The main store, located in the Richmond Plaza (formerly the K-Mart Plaza) on Main Street in downtown Richmond, is 13,000 square feet. They also have a separate bedding store three doors down in the same complex.
In 1951, Jeczen’s grandfather, Walter Kenneth Jeczen Sr. and his wife Jenny started Jasen’s Furniture & Appliance Co. on Gratiot in Roseville. In 2017, Jeczen’s
grandson with the same name is carrying on the family tradition with Richmond Home Furnishings.
“The family name and what it stood for moved with me to Richmond,” says Jeczen. “I’m proud to carry on that tradition.”