Made By Hickory Chair

Once Upon A Time...Is Now!

The year was 1901 and brothers George and Waldron Bailey started a chair company in North Carolina.  Their family had made 'pins' that were used on telephone poles to hold the insulators as the United States was linked across the country with electricity.  Finding their market saturated, these young entrepreneurs looked for another use for 'pins'.  With the Industrial Revolution gaining speed, the furniture industry was emerging in North Carolina.  These enterprizing Baily brothers moved from Mt. Kisco, NY to Elkin, North Carolina and started a dining chair factory, the Elkin Chair Company, with just one style of chair.  

After just a year or two, Waldron returned to New York to pursue another profession.  George bought the company from his brother and it became the George Baily Chair Company.  Within just a few years local investors bought into the growing chair company and it became the Surry Chair Company.

In 1911, George felt that Hickory was a better place for his company due to the emergence of a few startup furniture manufacturers that specialied in either dining room furniture, bedroom furniture or desks.  He knew that there would be more skilled craftsmen available to make his chairs.  Hickory needed more jobs for the growing community and to replace the jobs being lost at the Piedmont Wagon Company due to the impact of the horseless carriage.  Local investors brought George and his chair company to Hickory with a dream to make more than one style of dining chair... to make upholstery of all types and perhaps more in the future. In 1911 the company began the process of building a factory, acquiring a railroad spur and a work force.  George brought his expertise, patterns and determination with him to Hickory.  In 1912 the first piece of lumber was sawn to build the first chair. 

George retired in 1951 with 50 years of service to the company he began with his brother. We think he would be proud to know that 100 years later we are still here in Hickory sawing wood, cutting fabric, tying springs, applying finishes and making a full line of upholstery, living room, dining room and bedroom furniture. Nearly 90% of our entire line is made in America.

2012 has been a very good year for Hickory with the addition of almost 70 additional artisans and craftsmen. We should have approximately 560 employees by year's end.  These talented artisans and craftsmen make each wood or upholstered item by hand to order in just a few weeks.

Hickory Chair is just one American company that has worked hard to overcome wars, depression, recessions, domestic and import competition and other challenges for over a century.  We appreciate each person who chooses to allow Hickory Chair to make an heirloom quality piece for your home or business.  You can help us create future chapters in our history by entrusting pieces to be made for your home by our artisans and craftsmen.  Visit our website to find a recommended retailer near you or a to the trade showroom.  With your support we can begin a fresh new year in 2013 with the ability to put more talented artisans and craftsmen to work making special pieces like the ones shown below...

One At A Time

Every day Hickory's 'Made To Order Made To Last' tag line is proven as designers and sales associates challenge our workroom with one of a kind pieces.  Every day drawings and sketches arrive with wishes of how existing pieces could be transformed for their clients.  Every day we try to make the majority of these wishes come true. We would like to share some recent pieces with you that are on display in our High Point Showoom!

Shown in this image is the 1271-55 Townsend Wing Chair from the rear and facing it is a special construction where we stretched it to an overall 77 inches wide and then hand-tufted the back, seat, arms and wings.  This custom settee proves our ability to create an entirely new style by modifying an existing item.

Custom 1271-55 Townsend Wing Chair as a Settee

1271-55 Townsend Wing Chair

We needed a large square glass top cocktail table for the setting below but did not have the right style or size. We selected the Hutton M2M 20-inch Cocktail Table but make it 19-inches high, added a Starfire 1/2" thick glass top, finisedh it in Dark Walnut and apply the Antique Brass collars to the posts.  This custom Hutton table looks very different from the standard construction of a wood panel top.

Custom 176-51 Hutton M2M Cocktail Table with Glass Top

176-51 Hutton M2M Cocktail Table with Wood Top

The Carved Bed from the French Collection has a wood headboard.  We made it for the showroom with an upholstered headboard with nail head trim and painted it in Artisan Birch. 

9621-70 Carved Bed with Upholstered Headboard with Nail Head Trim

9621-00 Carved Bed in Antique French finish

These are but a few of the special pieces made to order by our talented craftsmen in our Hickory, North Carolina workroom.  We are honored to be trusted to make custom pieces and challenged to learn new ideas and skills. Why settle for standard when you can have it made?

 

Happenings at 'The Chair'

This fall at the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, North Carolina, Hickory Chair introduces our new VP/Creative Director, Skip Rumley and his fresh presentation of Hickory Chair furniture.  His fresh outlook has brought an easy elegance in our 25,000 square foot showroom.  Divided into luxury apartments and suites, each area is distinctive with fresh new fabrics, special constructions and thoughtfully choreographed rooms.  Our Hickory, North Carolina workroom has the ability to make nearly 90% of our entire product offering in just a few weeks from order.  Skip has worked alongside to create special pieces never imagined before.  Adding to the excitement is that all four of our licensees, Alexa Hampton, Suzanne Kasler, Mariette Himes Gomez and Thomas O'Brien have new pieces for their respective collections this fall.  We, and they, are honored that Architectural DIgest named each of them as a Top 100 Interior Designer this year!

In addition to new furniture this season, we have dynamic new fabrics, leather and trim that reflect beautiful pattern, color and texture.  Continuing our licensing program with Hable Construction, we have added 11 new prints and wovens to our collection this season!  Shown is a grouping of pieces upholstered in new Hable Construction fabrics that are exclusive to Hickory Chair. The Muse Cabinet and a Madigan Bar Stool are shown the new print Marble in the Skinny Dip colorway, a screen in Pom Pom in the Sapphire colorway, the Edward Chair in Peony and the Inman Ottoman in the new Coal colorway of Costume.

Alexa Hampton has created the beautiful Alice Secretary along with a distinctive grouping of chairs named Rachel and Gregory and the new Tatum Side Table.

  

Mariette Himes Gomez owns a vintage sofa made by the legendary Syrie Maugham.  Working with the craftsmen in the Hickory workroom we introduce the luxurious adaptation we have named the Syrie Maugham Sofa. From feedback at market we have created the most comfortable sofa ever in the Hickory Chair line.

 
Suzanne Kasler has many new introductions this season.  Included in this grouping is the Arden Dining Table.  Crafted in ash solids and veneers, this 8-legged table is perfect as a dining or center table.  The top and base are interchangeable with many other tops and bases allowing you to create a one-of-a-kind table as well.

From Thomas O'Brien is a new sofa, love seat and sectional named Pablo, a grouping of small occasional tables, a settee, chairs and a distinctive bed named Stanford. This distinctive bed is made from mahogany solids with fine kingwood veneers.  It has a button-tufted upholstered headboard.  A series of elegant fluted posts that wrap around the footboard.

These exciting new pieces being introduced is season are available through your designer or local Hickory Chair dealer.  Visit hickorychair.com to see all pieces our Hickory Chair family of collections.