Grand Rapids Furniture Company History

Firm is purchased by baker furniture co but furniture is still produced under the grand rapids chair name.

Grand rapids furniture company history.

Company changes name to the gunn furniture co. More information about the history and heritage of the furniture industry in grand rapids is also available on the grand rapids public museum website. Incorporated the following year. Description grand rapids michigan.

The furniture industry of grand rapids had its birth in the system prevailing eighty or more years ago in the smaller towns throughout the country. Gunn folding bed co. Furniture company 1883 1926. They timed their exhibits to coincide with the annual furniture exhibitions in grand rapids and furniture buyers began visiting jamestown on their way to grand rapids.

Is established and incorporated. Company operates as a subsidiary of sligh lowery but continues to produce furniture under the grand rapids chair name. The pioneer cabinet maker williaim haldane other early workmen history of the development progress by years. Grand rapids chair co.

A trip through time. Gunn adds a retail furniture department to his hardware business. A large smokestack is visible at the left. Between 1910 and 1917 furniture manufacturers began to exhibit their wares regularly in their factories and in hotels.

Company purchased by edsko hekman and a group of associates. Grand rapids furniture history. Grand rapids furniture gained its worldwide reputation for the quality of furniture at the philadelphia centennial in 1876 which strengthened the local economy and put grand rapids on the map. Grand rapids michigan successor to gunn folding bed co.

Grand rapids michigan is one of the most well known places for furniture manufacturing in the united states and is even referred to as furniture city the furniture city is known for manufacturing fine furniture and shipping it worldwide. Brief history and description. Grand rapids fancy furniture company. Some refrigerators are manufactured under the name northern refrigerator co.

Charles sligh began working in furniture production in 1862. The technological improvements of railroads and the steam engines would transform the grand rapids furniture industry and economy. The three story factory with rows of evenly spaced windows displays the name of the company across the front of the building. Company merges with kelvinator detroit mich.

The youngest son of a war widow and his brother also away at war the responsibility of providing an income to the household and supporting his mother and sisters fell to sligh who started work as an employee at berkey gay then a leading furniture company in grand rapids michigan.