Made By Hickory Chair

A Moment In Time For "The Cross Eyed Owl" Dining Chair

The great thing about classic design is that it is timeless.  The great thing about heirloom quality is that it can withstand use so that it can become an antique or an heirloom.  When you mix classic design with heirloom quality then you really have something special! 

If you have not visited ebay and searched for Hickory Chair you would likely be surprised with how many pieces the search will find.  Granted that there is a hickory bark furniture company that shows up when you type in Hickory Chair too, but on any given day you will find numerous heirlooms that the owner no longer needs but the quality of the pieces will not allow them to throw them away.  One could call this sustainable furniture since it can be repurposed or recycled to another family.
Yesterday a set of Chippendale dining chairs from Hickory Chair were sold on ebay.  The seller, Stenella Antiques, had a set of two 840-01 Chippendale Arm Chairs and eight 840-02 Chippendale Side Chairs that they had acquired from a family.  The set of chairs were in almost mint condition.  Two different requests came into Hickory Chair asking us to verify that they were truly Hickory Chair dining chairs.  Fortunately we were able to confirm that they were indeed our chairs. 

Hickory Chair made these chairs for many decades.  They were introduced in the early 1960's and were made for approximately 30-35 years.  In these years thousands of these mahogany chairs were crafted in the Hickory, North Carolina workroom.  These classic Chippendale chairs were nicknamed "the cross eyed owl back chairs" by fans. 

Recently Dean Farris, a designer from Naples, Florida wrote in his blog, Dean Farris Style about one of his favorite places, The Shackleford House, also known as The Pink House in Zillionville which is near Albany, Georgia. The dining room reminded him of the dining room at the Gasparilla Inn by Sister Parish.  As I surveyed the pictures I realized that our 840-02 Chippendale Side Chairs were used in an ivory painted finish.

Over ten years ago I stayed at the beautiful Roslyn Claremont Hotel in Roslyn, New York.  Upon entering my room I immediately recognized an 840-02 Chippendale Side Chair at the desk.  Today I found on their web site a room scene that showed that these heirloom quality chairs were still being used in the rooms.

Almost every day someone contacts Hickory Chair eager to learn more about Hickory Chair vintage pieces that they have inherited or purchased.  We try to help each person with any history about their piece.  It makes you feel proud to know that the pieces made by talented American craftsmen are still appreciated after the decades since they were made.  One hundred years and counting for Hickory Chair.  We are proud that we have capabilities that allow us to make over 87% of our entire product line in Hickory, North Carolina. 

Do you have a vintage Hickory Chair story to share?  Contact us at press@hickorychair.com.

A Moment In Time For All Time

Hickory Chair is proud to be celebrating its 100th year making furniture in Hickory, North Carolina this year!  This milestone has been made possible by the talented craftsmen making fine furniture to order since 1911.  Multiple generations of families have made Hickory Chair their home and career.  Their attention to detail and passion to make the finest product possible at a value has allowed the company to survive throughout wars, the depression, recessions and other powerful obstacles.  All 500 of us at Hickory Chair today thank all of the indivduals who selected our pieces during these 100 years and who aspire to add future pieces to their homes.

Recently we were contacted by a Hickory Chair fan who had purchased a James River Collection Queen Anne Low Boy for her home.  In researching the piece for Bethany we were able to tell her that the piece was approximately 50 years old.  When Hickory Chair celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1961 they also celebrated the 20th anniversary of the James River Collection with new pieces.  This Queen Anne Low Boy was part of the 20th anniversary collection! 

  Her piece had been crafted from fine mahogany solids and veneers and then finished in the standard Amber finish.  Over the 50 years of use the low boy had gained a rich patina from the natural burnishing from hands and use.  The original pristine finish had mellowed with wear on the corners, top and drawers and had faded in the sunlight over the years.  The original shiny solid brass hardware had developed a soft, antiqued patina over the years.  The piece had not been in a museum, but used every day.  The two drawers worked perfectly because they were crafted from fine American oak for the sides, back and bottom of the drawer.  The English dove tail joints had held the mahogany face and oak back of the drawer tight to the sides. Bethany loved the way the piece had aged over the years.  She lovingly cleaned and polished her James River heirloom piece and placed it in her home.  

 Once stated in the Charlotte Observer was a statement that "the greenest thing of all is something that does not need to be recycled".  Collecting heirloom quality furniture items and repurposing them for homes today is a form of sustainablity.  Because of their classic forms, clean lines and timeless design, pieces like this low boy can have a new life with a new family.  They have a new moment in time for all time.

 

A Dream Home With Style - Tony Stavish, Chicago, IL

  Tony Stavish, a Chicagoland interior desginer, was chosen to bring his vision of an eco-friendly home office to the 2010 Dream Home at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago, Illinois.  This is the latest honor in his 18 year career.  He is the owner of A. W. Stavish Designs.  We learned a bit about Tony from his web site, "Dubbed by House Beautiful Magazine as a rising star of Interior Design, Tony Stavish has, in the last eighteen years, created a unique voice in Chicago's design arena.

In the Fall of 2006, Andrew Martin selected Tony to be amongst the design elite in, "The Andrew Martin Interior Design Review". Additionally, Tony is now prominently featured on the Andrew Martin website.

House Beautiful featured three of his rooms in their 2004 Chicago Showhouse. www.housebeautiful.com, (keyword: 2004 Makeover Showhouse). In addition, Tony's work has appeared on the cover of numerous shelter magazines and, the book "Unmistakably French". ; Most recently, his own home graced the pages of, "Villa Décor", published by Gibbs Smith. His work has also been featured on HGTV's, "Small Spaces Big Style"."

He was chosen as the designer to create the Home Office portion of the Dream Home.  Each designer was challenged to make their room the ultimate in sophistication and comfort while being eco-friendly. Tony turned to various fabric companies whose fabrics were either linen, cotton or made from recycled plastic milk cartons. The Hickory Chair Camp Chair and Ottoman were upholstered in leather.  Their wooden frame was made from certified sustainable American hardwoods.  They were made in Hickory, North Carolina by a team of talented craftsmen and artisans.  The Hickory Chair-Pearson Interior Design Showroom at the Merchandise Mart assisted Tony with this project. Tony was selected to share his inspiration and story on the WGN TV station in Chicago.    

 The Dream Home will be open for the remainder of the year at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. 

Hickory Chair's Journey of Environmental Stewardship

As a maker of fine furnishings, we take pride that 87% of our entire product line is made in Hickory, North Carolina.  We make upholstery, dining tables, beds, armoires, cocktail tables and a host of other items.  Our 99 year old company has over 430 talented craftsmen that make these heirloom quality pieces.  This is special as so many furniture companies have lost the ability to make furniture domestically.  Another aspect that is very special is the focus each employee has on environmental stewardship.

 

Employees at Hickory Chair have continued their dedication to continuous improvement in an effort to increase quality, value, and personalized options for their customers. In 1997, they named their focused effort EDGE – Employees Dedicated to Growth and Excellence –and their results have transformed not only the product line itself but the way in which the products are made. One important outcome has been a commitment to improving the environment through a series of initiatives to reduce their environmental footprint and implementation of sustainable business practices.

 

In 2009 Hickory Chair began the process of earning Sustainable by Design registration by the AHFA. We are proud to announce that in April 2010 Hickory Chair has earned Sustainable by Design (SBD) registration. SBD is providing a roadmap for home furnishings companies to create a corporate culture of conservation and environmental stewardship by integrating socio-economic policies and sustainable business practices into their manufacturing operations and sourcing strategies.

In Hickory Chair’s case, Sustainability by Design is an extension of the EDGE culture and not a new thought process for the company. “Our employees are focused upon making fine furniture that is made to last in an environmentally friendly manner. We are proud that count less pieces of Hickory Chair furniture made in our 99-year history are being passed down from one generation to the next and not filling landfills. We believe that following the guidelines of not only SBD -Sustainability lity by Design but also EFEC – Effecting Furniture’s Environmental Culture will help us launch our second century responsibly and simply doing the right thing for the environment, our employees and the consumer who chooses Hickory Chair personalized pieces for their home” reflects Jay Reardon, president.

 

Hickory Chair has developed an Environmental Stewardship Policy which guides all activities in this area on the part of its operations and employees. The Policy states their overall goal as follows:

 

“Hickory Chair recognizes the importance of protecting the environment and conserving our natural resources for future generations. We are committed to responsible environmental stewardship in our dealings with customers, employees, suppliers, government, and our neighbors. The Hickory Chair commitment to responsible environmental stewardship is put into practice by integrating environmentally sound business practices into our strategic business plan and into our daily business decisions. ”

 

President Jay Reardon said, “At Hickory Chair, we believe the most significant thing we build isn’t furniture, its trust. Nothing is more important to our organization than the relationships we nurture with the employees, dealers and consumers we serve. It’s a conviction that fuels our quest for quality, creativity and excellence – and drives our commitment to listening constantly and responding thoughtfully. The Hickory Chair Environmental Stewardship Mission Statement expresses our conviction to act responsibly so that our employees, our customers, our suppliers, and our community can trust that we will manage our operations in a manner that demonstrates our commitment to sound environmental stewardship practices.

 

 The top management endorses the Hickory Chair Environmental Stewardship Policy and reviews it annually to ensure that its principles and goals remain in alignment with the company’s strategic business plan. The policy is communicated to all employees, prominently posted in the workroom and office and is available to the public upon request. Our goal is to recycle and repurpose all of our waste materials. Through EDGE, our employees are looking at ways to redesign our processes such that waste is prevented from being  created in the first place.”

 

Donna Musick, Hickory Chair’s Environmental Coordinator added, “The improvements generated by EDGE have made a tremendous di f ference on our ability to positively impact the environment, and can be grouped into three areas: better machine utilization which reduced energy consumption, process improvements that eliminated additional work or wasted materials, and the elimination of non-value added operations which improved productivity and reduced energy and materials usage, providing better values without compromise for our customers.”

 

Among the specific actions being taken by Hickory Chair are:

- Domestic wood is purchased from sustainable/renewable sources

- Beginning in 2007, catalogs and price lists meet FSC (Forest Sustainability Council) registration and are printed on paper that also meets FSC registration.

- Many of the fabrics offered are made of 100% natural/organic fibers

- New insulation and heat reflective roofing have been instal led to reduce energy costs

- Compressors have been updated which eliminated the need for a water cooling system, resulting in water conservation

- Wood dust is the primary fuel source for their boiler for the manufacturing process and facility heating, thus avoiding putting more than 2000 tons of wood biomass in the landfill.

 

Hickory Chair is proud to announce that in 2008 it became an EFEC (Enhancing Furniture’s Environment Culture) registered company. EFEC is sponsored by the American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA) and was created to assist furniture companies in evaluating their operations to ensure continuous improvement of their environmental stewardship. Hickory Chair is one of a smal l group of furniture companies that are now EFEC registered. EFEC is a voluntary environmental management system for furniture manufacturers. The registration requires companies to use management tools that help the company integrate environmental concerns into daily business practices resulting in better environmental performance and improved profitability for the company. EFEC companies enjoy the benefits of increased environmental performance, the recognition as an environmental leader in the furniture industry, improved performance, and efficiency as well as improved regulatory compliance with an enhanced ability to track environmental costs. In addition, financial savings from better management of resources and raw materials results in less waste and recycling.

 

In 2008 the company was awarded the first ever prestigious Sage Award by the AHFA and Cargill. The purpose of the Sage Award is to seek out, discover, and recognize true industry innovators from whom others can learn. Winners will have demonstrated wisdom, experience and leadership within the home furnishings industry in the areas of sustainable business practices, social responsibility and profitable growth.

 

“Hickory Chair has demonstrated great visionary leadership in its efforts to move beyond compliance to effective environmental stewardship,” said Bill Perdue, AHFA’s VP of Environmental Affairs. “By embracing the core values of EFEC, the company is creating a corporate culture that will emphasize sustainable business practices and focus on continuous improvement that will result in a significant reduction of its environmental footprint.”

They Made It My Way

It is such a joy to walk through the workrooms at Hickory Chair.  Every day we are entrusted with making one-of-a-kind pieces for homes of fine furniture collectors.  It is because of the talented craftsmen who have chosen to practice their skill here in Hickory, North Carolina that we can offer personalization to the pieces made here.  Currently over 87% of our pieces are made in our workroom.  The remaining 13% are made by specialists who work with stone, metal, mirrors and other media that we can not produce here.

One of the pieces that caught our attention recently was a pair of 9626-70 Small Chests.  The designer chose our Venetian Blue paint for a pair of chests and asked that we match a pearlescent ivory paint color to stripe the chest.  In addition to the striping, they gave us a leaf pattern that they wanted hand painted on the top of the chest.  After receiving approval from the strike off we began the process of finishing and decorating a pair of chests.  The transparency of the pearlescent ivory striping adds elegance to the pieces. 

 

In this next example, the designer asked that we take the James River 2131-30 Sideboard and make it less traditonal.  First they chose our Antique Ivory paint finish.  Then they asked that we apply Antique Rub Light Gold striping.  To finish the piece they supplied their own hardware along with a drawing so that our craftsmen would have a guide to install the hardware. The result truly transformed the classic piece to a modern interpretation!

   

Just as I thought that we had done it all, we received this request!  A designer had a vision for the Morris Cocktail Table by Suzanne Kasler. The client liked the form of the table but wished that it had a clear glass top and a woven raffia shelf trimmed in nail head trim instead of the wood top and shelf.  In addition, they asked that we make the height 18 instead of 19 1/4 inches, make it 24 instead of 34 inches deep and 48 instead of 44 inches in length and then finish it in Soliel finish.  Our team took on the challenge and was able to make the cocktail table just as the client had wished. 

  

We enjoy making special pieces like these for families to enjoy for generations to come.  We make the pieces at a quality level that allow them to be refinished in the future if desired.  We make them to order and make them to last.  Hmmm... sounds like this effort makes them sustainable as well!

Sustainability EDGE

In a continued effort to reduce environmental impact, Hickory Chair is now offering an email option to receive acknowledgements and invoices. We have had a number of dealers wish that we could quit mailing and faxing paper acknowledgements and invoices. Both methods require using paper. If you allow us to email them to you it will allow you to receive the information faster and more efficiently. We might suggest that you make sure your spam blocker is set to allow Hickory Chair to send emails with attachments!

For those of you who would like to switch to emailed acknowlegements and invoices, simply email your Hickory Chair sales representative and they will be happy to make this simple change.

Some of the accomplishments we have made to continue to reduce our environmental footprint include:

• Reduction in landfill waste due to recycling, repurposing and designing the waste out of the product. In 2006 each employee generated 1.3 TONS of waste. In 2008 each employee only generated .7 tons of waste. This year we are on a pace of .4 tons per employee!


• Last year we were able to bring in 9 products that we had previously imported that are now being made in Hickory, NC! Can you imagine how much fuel and pollution this saves to make it in Hickory, NC instead of having to transport it all the way from the Philippines! Just think of the fuel for the cargo ship, train and then transfer trucks not to mention the labor to load and unload or the pollution savings!



• Last November we were awarded the first SAGE Award by Cargill and the AHFA for the company wide culture we have developed to be good stewards of the planet!