Berkline bites the dust

[byhammerandhand]

I know they've been struggling for a while, but as late as last November, they were trying to reorganize and re-open.

http://www.furnituretoday.com/article/537457-Berkline_says_it_will_shut_down_liquidate.php

[sofadoc]

Not surprised. I've seen fewer and fewer Berklines in my area over the last few years. They never did sell very well here. La-Z-Boy, and Lane rule the roost around these parts.

[kodydog]

Hate to see any American owned company go under. I always considered Berkline to be a tad better than other recliner manufacturers. There's so many furniture companies out there its hard for them to compete.

I think if the furniture companies don't start building more quality into their product we will see a lot more "biting the dust". Seems lately there have been problems with foam cores in seat cushions. I'm getting ready to replace all the foam on a sectional. It's only 9 months old. The company came out once already and replaced it (with the same type foam ?? ???).

There's so much competition it forces furniture manufactures to keep their prices down, in turn building crappy products. And when a company like Burkline builds a slightly better product at a higher price you see what happens. The consumer, in the show room, can't tell the difference between quality and non-quality furniture. Usually all they go by is price.

Mojo started a thread asking if there were any good manufacturers of furniture left. I didn't have time to respond then. Here's my top three.

Henredon
Drexel-Heritage
Century

Of course coming from Hickory NC I'm partial to there furniture, sorry Highpoint.

[byhammerandhand]

I think that's the core of the issue, aka "The Wal*mart Effect."   It amazes me that people will buy a $400-600K house and fill it with junk furniture.

I do repair work and thus see a lot of new and nearly new furniture.   I am amazed  at the junky quality I see.   I saw a cocktail table from a well-known company last week.  First was it was "reclaimed wood" (billed as a benefit) that had no finish on it.   What that means is as soon as you set down a wet glass, spill food, or even have regular skin contact, it's going to stain.    Second, the lower shelf were slats that were held on with  pneumatic brads.  Before it left the warehouse  there were 1/4" gaps where the brads were already pulling out.   I looked when I got home and the price was $2100 !     $200 for the table and $1900 for the name, as far as I could tell.

I could go on and on.   I'm going back next week to repair someone's new sofa for the second time.   The frame is put together with particle board of extremely low quality (large chunks of bark and wood and lots of air) and staples.

When the Drexel-Henredon store was in business in town, I did their repair work.  I would not consider the stuff I saw of highest quality.

One of the reasons I've been following Berkline is that I'm getting regular calls from people with less  than five year old Berkline recliners where the mechs have failed.  They're not L&P and I've been unable to find a source for replacements.

I think if the furniture companies don't start building more quality into their product we will see a lot more "biting the dust".

There's so much competition it forces furniture manufactures to keep their prices down, in turn building crappy products.

Mojo started a thread asking if there were any good manufacturers of furniture left. I didn't have time to respond then. Here's my top three.

Henredon
Drexel-Heritage
Century

[sofadoc]

Seems lately there have been problems with foam cores in seat cushions.

Yeah, I do a ton of core replacements for local furniture stores. Some stores buy the replacement foam from me, others just order the EXACT same foam cores from the manufacturer. 6 months later, back again. Those cheap foam cores are very comfortable when you sit on them on the showroom floor. But they go flat in a hurry.
I guess I'd go along with Kody about the brands. But I can't really say that I even pay attention to what brand a piece is anymore. It's not like any of them are really head and shoulders above the rest.

[Lynn]

We just had one of those! The manufacturer sent out replacement foam - same junk as was in there already. I convinced the client to pay for better foam so that he doesn't have to come back in six months.

Lynn

[baileyuph]

This furniture trend is the wave, my business gets a lot of repairs on new furniture that I call junk.  Listening to the consumer, usually they think a thousand dollar sofa should be high quality, I don't see it that way.

When a thousand dollar sofa is sold, the intrensic value of it has to be no more than about $300.  The rest is labor, shipping, and retailing cost.  Back that out of $1000 and there is little left for buying materials.

One would think that this situation would change someday and the market would swing back to quality domestic built stuff.

I am seeing some asian build wood furniture products that must not have been kiln dried completely and the result is merely splitting.

Part of the problem has to be consumer values for many do not put as high a priority on furniture as they do electronics.  Gosh they will spend fairly freely on big screens, cell phones, computers, and others stuff as long as it is electronic.

Again, sure hate to see long standing American companies go by the way.

Doyle

[kodydog]

Went to a dinner party about 6 months back. Sitting across form me was a young man probably in his mid 20"s. We began chatting and I explained what I did for a living. He became very interested as he was decorating his apartment. He told me he was looking for a new sofa and what was the best brand. He said his old sofa was very cheep and not worth reupholstering. Because of his age I assumed his budget was sparse so I began my usual speech telling him, it'll be hard to find anything of quality for under $1000. He stopped me short and said he was planing to spend $2000 to $3000.

Now my question to you all is what would you have told him? Keep in mind this was out of state.

[Joys Shop]

I would have told him not to buy new
Buy something old, and well built
then have it reupholstered to his liking

I have told people that before

[sofadoc]

Now my question to you all is what would you have told him? Keep in mind this was out of state.

I'm just trying to come to grips with the fact that YOU got invited to a dinner party! :D

I'm really not sure what I'd tell him (other that what Joy said). Just because a sofa is priced at 3 grand nowadays, it doesn't mean that it's a $3000 sofa.
I'm sure that "Needless Markup" would be happy to sell him one.

[kodydog]

I'm just trying to come to grips with the fact that YOU got invited to a dinner party! :D

The truth is my wife was invited and I just tagged along. It was at a Mexican restaurant and when we got there I said I would buy the Margaritas so they let me stay. :P

[Mojo]

Doyle:

The way furniture makers mislead the customer is terrible. The furniture coming out of China and assembled with " Chinese Oak " is a complete joke. If you weighed Chinese Oak against American or Canadian Oak the difference would be considerable. The density is just not there and and all of their wood is of poor quality.

I assume that some furniture is being made with Oak or Pine products from the USA but it is far and few between. As a woodworker I have seen the difference between plywood, stick lumber and OSB board that comes from China and it is horrible. The plywood has such a thin veneer that sanding is a very delicate operation to keep from going straight through it.

I do not think the Chinese have the lumber technology like we do so it wouldn't surprise me none if it splits. Between crap quick growing wood and their kiln process it is a wonder a chair or couch will hold anyone when they sit on it. :)

Chris 

[byhammerandhand]

I've only met one person who didn't think, "I spent a lot for this furniture."   He was the guy who admitted, "I guess that's what you get with a $599 leather sofa and chair combo."

Listening to the consumer, usually they think a thousand dollar sofa should be high quality, I don't see it that way.
Doyle

[kodydog]

Seriously! Your all telling me there's not one furniture store in your area you could recommend, or a manufacturer that builds a decent piece of furniture. That's a pretty sad state for the world wide furniture industry to be in. What if a country, any country took it upon them self to beef up there furniture industry, set the standard for the rest of the world, kinda like Japan did with cars 30 years ago, be the go to country when it comes to furniture. Think of the economics of being the world leader in the furniture industry.

Yeah well maybe I'm just a dreamer. Seems like every year I say they couldn't possibly build it any cheaper and every year they do.