Raymour & Flanigan

Raymour & Flanigan is an American furniture retail chain, based in the Northeastern United States.

Raymour & Flanigan Furniture
Private
IndustryFurnishings
Founded1946 (1946)
FounderBernard Goldberg
Arnold Goldberg
HeadquartersLiverpool, New York, U.S.
Key people
Neil Goldberg, President and CEO
ProductsHome Furniture
Number of employees
5,000[1]
Websitewww.RaymourFlanigan.com

Overview

Raymour’s Furniture Company, the predecessor of Raymour & Flanigan Furniture, was established by brothers Bernard Goldberg and Arnold Goldberg in 1946.[2] Raymour & Flanigan Furniture is the largest furniture retailer in the Northeast and the seventh largest in the U.S.[3]

History

Bernard Goldberg and his younger brother, Arnold Goldberg, co-founded the first Raymour Furniture store, the predecessor of Raymour & Flanigan, in late 1946 in downtown Syracuse, New York. Known for his humorous side, Bernard coined the phrase "upper decker" in 1942 while successfully completing the first known "upper decker" while serving in WWII Germany. After initially wanting to name their new furniture store "Decker's" the brothers settled on naming the furniture store after an antiques shop on Long Island which was owned by a third brother.[2]

In 1972, Bernard and Arnold Goldberg opened a second Raymour Furniture store in Clay, New York, during which time Bernard Goldberg's son, Neil, joined the family-owned company.[2]

In 1990, Raymour’s Furniture Company acquired competitor, Flanigan's Furniture, which operated fourteen stores in the Buffalo and Rochester areas. The acquisition gave Raymour & Flanigan its present name.[2][4]

By 2005, the company had begun to focus on expanding its presence in the New York metropolitan area by acquiring Futurama, a furniture retailer with three large stores.[5] In 2007, Raymour & Flanigan purchased Alpert’s Furniture, located in the Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts area.[6] In December 2008, Raymour & Flanigan Furniture acquired 18 Levitz Furniture store locations in the New York metro area.[7]

Founder Bernard Goldberg remained the chairman of Raymour & Flanigan until his death in 2010. He was succeeded by two of his sons - President and CEO, Neil Goldberg and Steve Goldberg, Executive Vice President - as well as his nephew, Executive Vice President, Michael Goldberg.[2]

By 2011, the company had 100 stores across seven states in the Northeast.[8] As of 2016, Raymour & Flanigan has expanded to over 110 stores in the Northeastern U.S.[9]

Products

Raymour & Flanigan sells home furniture including living room, dining room and bedroom furniture and mattresses.[10]

The company product offering ranges from traditional cherry wood pieces, to more modern styles such as denim sofas from the “Cindy Crawford Home” collection.[11] The company also has a line of upholstered furniture by designer Kathy Ireland.[12]

Awards

In April 2001, Raymour & Flanigan Furniture was named “Retailer of the Year” by the National Home Furnishings Association.[13] In 2004, Raymour & Flanigan Furniture received the “Retailer of the Year Award” from Furniture Today.[14] In 2007, Raymour & Flanigan Furniture was named "Newsmaker of the Year" by Home Furnishings Business.[15]

In 2009, the Greater New York Home Furnishings Association announced that the “Jerry Gans Memorial Award” would be awarded to the Goldberg family on behalf of the entire Raymour & Flanigan organization.[16]

In 2013, the Goldberg family received the Spirit of Life Award from the City of Hope in recognition of Raymour & Flanigan’s philanthropy and business leadership.[17]

Raymour & Flanigan was voted “Best Furniture Store on Long Island” in 2016 and 2017 through the “Best of Long Island” program.[18]

References
  1. "Raymour & Flanigan Furniture and Mattresses LinkedIn". Retrieved 2017-12-01.
  2. Engel, Clint (2010-09-01). "Raymour & Flanigan co-founder Bernard Goldberg dies, Had remained chairman of Top 100 furniture retailer". Furniture Today. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
  3. "Company donates $500,000 for Say Yes to Education scholarships". syracuse.com. Retrieved 2017-09-29.
  4. "SYRACUSE-AREA CHAIN BUYS FLANIGAN'S FURNITURE STORES". The Buffalo News. 1989-10-31. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
  5. "Raymour acquires N.Y.'s Futurama | Furniture Today". www.furnituretoday.com. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
  6. "Daily News Archive | Raymour & Flanigan to Acquire Alperts". hfbusiness.com. Retrieved 2017-10-01.
  7. "Raymour & Flanigan Expands New York City Presence | Raymour & Flanigan Furniture Press Center". www.raymourflanigan.com. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
  8. "Legacy Issue". issuu. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
  9. "Raymour & Flanigan opens third Delaware store". delawareonline. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
  10. "HFBNow! Daily News and Designer Weekly | Raymour & Flanigan Opens". hfbusiness.com. Retrieved 2017-10-01.
  11. "Raymour & Flanigan makes buying furniture quick and easy". NY Daily News. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
  12. "Raymour & Flanigan Partners With Kathy Ireland Home | Furniture World Magazine". Furniture World Magazine. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
  13. "NHFA's 2001 Retailers of the Year— Giff Gates and Neil Goldberg To Be Honored In High Point | Furniture World Magazine". Furniture World Magazine. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
  14. "Empire honors Raymour & Flanigan | Furniture Today". www.furnituretoday.com. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
  15. "Levitz Stores Hang Going-Out-Of-Business Banners | Raymour & Flanigan Furniture Press Center". www.raymourflanigan.com. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
  16. "Neil Goldberg, Michael Goldberg and Steven Goldberg of Raymour & Flanigan To Be Honored By GNYHFA | Furniture World Magazine". Furniture World Magazine. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
  17. "City of Hope plans Spirit of Life Awards | Furniture Today". www.furnituretoday.com. Retrieved 2017-12-01.
  18. "Best Furniture Store on Long Island - Best Of Long Island". Best Of Long Island. 2017-02-21. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
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