COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 44211

Furniture Stores

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

18companies1885–1980founding years18still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedHaverty Furniture Companies, Inc.FoundedHaverty Furniture Companies, Inc.
1885
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
FoundedCourts PlcFoundedCourts PlcFoundedSeaman Furniture Company, Inc.FoundedSeaman Furniture Company, Inc.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
FoundedSchneiderman's Furniture Inc.FoundedSchneiderman's Furniture Inc.
1948
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
FoundedSleepy's Inc.FoundedSleepy's Inc.
1957
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedArt Van Furniture, Inc.FoundedArt Van Furniture, Inc.
1959
FoundedAaron Rents, Inc.FoundedAaron Rents, Inc.FoundedEuromarket Designs Inc.FoundedEuromarket Designs Inc.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
FoundedRestoration Hardware, Inc.FoundedRestoration Hardware, Inc.
1980
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1994
TechnologyAmazon is founded; e-commerce begins to disrupt retail.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc. →
Active · founded 1885
Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc.
Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc. →
Active · founded 1885
Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc.
Courts Plc →
Active · founded 1933 · United Kingdom
Courts Plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading retail furniture and home appliance companies.
Courts Plc →
Active · founded 1933 · United Kingdom
Courts Plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading retail furniture and home appliance companies.
Seaman Furniture Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1933
Seaman Furniture Company, Inc., a high-volume retailer targeted to appeal to the price-conscious middle-income…
Seaman Furniture Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1933
Seaman Furniture Company, Inc., a high-volume retailer targeted to appeal to the price-conscious middle-income…
Schneiderman's Furniture Inc. →
Active · founded 1948
Schneiderman's Furniture Inc.
Schneiderman's Furniture Inc. →
Active · founded 1948
Schneiderman's Furniture Inc.
Sleepy's Inc. →
Active · founded 1957
Sleepy's Inc.
Sleepy's Inc. →
Active · founded 1957
Sleepy's Inc.
Art Van Furniture, Inc. →
Active · founded 1959
Art Van Furniture, Inc.
Art Van Furniture, Inc. →
Active · founded 1959
Art Van Furniture, Inc.
Aaron Rents, Inc. →
Active · founded 1962
Aaron Rents, Inc.
Aaron Rents, Inc. →
Active · founded 1962
Aaron Rents, Inc.
Euromarket Designs Inc. →
Active · founded 1962
Euromarket Designs Inc.
Euromarket Designs Inc. →
Active · founded 1962
Euromarket Designs Inc.
Restoration Hardware, Inc. →
Active · founded 1980
Restoration Hardware, Inc.
Restoration Hardware, Inc. →
Active · founded 1980
Restoration Hardware, Inc.
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