Metro Detroit Furniture Stores See Surge in Cozy Couches, Home Offices

By: Karen Dybis | March 1, 2021
Local Furniture Stores

Photo Courtesy of Gardner-White.

Furnishing an apartment or a house has never felt more important than it has over the past year as more people are working and cooking from home. But having furnishings that are comfortable, stylish and within a family’s budget remains the top reasons why local furniture stores are an important part of any retail community.

Auburn Hills-based Gardner-White understands the need for durable yet beautiful furniture for many reasons. First of all, its President Rachel Stewart is a newly minted mother of two and she knows how important performance fabric is when you have a baby and a toddler. 

“We really have a focus on family-friendly furniture for the way people really live. You’re going to get beautiful furniture as well as feel like you can really use it,” Stewart said. 

Stewart is the fourth generation to run Gardner-White. The original business was started by Eugene Clinton White and John G. Gardner in 1912. Stewart’s grandfather, Irwin Kahn, bought the store in the 1950s and kept its original name. Her parents, Barb and Steve, ran the furniture chain over the past three decades. Stewart is now the big thinker and innovator, helping grow Gardner-White into the next century. 

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During the pandemic, Gardner-White knew that Metro Detroiters may wonder where they can find design help, a wide array of furniture and budget-friendly price points. Recent news of other furniture businesses changing names and struggling had some local residents seeking help, especially when they wanted same-day delivery or functional furniture, such as a new desk for a remote-school student or at-home worker, Stewart said. 

Garnder-White stepped up to work diligently with its suppliers to make sure its Michigan stores had enough furniture, accessories and more for customers, Stewart said. People looking to stay within a set price point can shop the clearance centers.

The main floor has every room of the house covered from the dining room to the living room to the bedroom. Its new design studios at five area stores have upscale selections with name-brand goods such as Vanguard and Century, Stewart added. 

“We have product for any budget,” Stewart said. “Supply chain has been challenging in this industry. But we know we are in a better stock position than others in the market. We have used every strategy we know to get furniture in stock.”

For those who are looking for socially distanced shopping, Stewart added that Gardner-White has a new online catalog to browse through, a regularly updated website as well as virtual-shopping options that let you see a new piece of furniture in a variety of ways. Plus, having large retail stores allows for social distancing at customers’ convenience. 

Here are some other Metro Detroit furniture and accessory stores that offer a variety of options for making a house feel like a home. 

Anton Maka Designs

Based in Shelby Township, Anton Maka Design offers furniture made from new and reclaimed materials. Each item is hand made in Michigan and is totally unique. Its furniture items include dining tables, occasional tables, seating, storage and TV stands made of raw woods and featuring beautiful finishes.

 

Workshop Detroit

Stewart loves this Detroit-based maker. Every Workshop reclaimed-wood furniture piece is handcrafted in the city using old-growth pine from Detroit homes. In order to preserve and celebrate its place in Detroit’s history, each piece of Workshop furniture is stamped with the street address of the abandoned house or building where the lumber was reclaimed from, preserving and celebrating its legacy.

Floyd

The name Floyd harkens back to co-founder Kyle Hoff’s family name — Kyle’s great-grandfather, grandfather, and father all share the first name Floyd and were all once steelworkers in Youngstown, Ohio. But its timeless designs are hardly old fashioned – their sleek, simple lines are easy to put together and will travel with you at any age and stage of your life.

Woodward Throwbacks

Furniture and furnishings designed and built with reclaimed materials salvaged in Detroit. Founders Bo Shepherd and Kyle Dubay put love into every piece they create from the vintage to the modern. They make tables, benches, desks, chairs and pretty much everything else for the industrially focused home. 

Gardella Furniture

This Detroit legacy company has been in business in the city since 1939. Bringing impressive style and quality to our customers for over 75 years. You can get almost everything you’ll need for a home from sofas to bedroom furniture to designer chairs that will make every room feel cozy.

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