Brown and john c.
Grand rapids furniture company history.
Grand rapids michigan successor to gunn folding bed co.
The man considered the main instigator of grand rapids furniture industry was william haldane who came to the city from ohio and opened one of its first cabinet shops in 1836.
Grand rapids furniture factories in 1909 the first annual report of the michigan department of labor in 1910 was a volume over 500 pages.
Company changes name to the gunn furniture co.
Sligh traveled to central america and established the honduras mahogany co which purchased mahogany timber in honduras cut it in new orleans and shipped it to grand rapids.
Company completes a new factory at 1101 godfrey avenue sw.
Incorporated as the century furniture company after the death of rickenbaugh.
Plant expands to include former grand rapids piano case factory next door.
Grand rapids has always been known for it s fine furniture and in 1876 grand rapids was recognized for being the leading furniture manufacturer in the world and to this day it is still the leading manufacturer of office furniture worldwide.
Founded by partners david s.
Johnson brothers begin johnson furniture co.
Made possible through a generous grant by the furniture manufacturers heritage advised fund grand rapids community foundation furniture city history is a sister site to history grand rapids.
Gunn folding bed co.
The grand rapids furniture association created in 1881 was made for purpose of protecting furniture manufacturers and dealers.
Firm is purchased by baker furniture co but furniture is still produced under the grand rapids chair name.
Company purchased by edsko hekman and a group of associates.
Is established and incorporated.
The first companies that would mass produce furniture on the scale the city would become known for opened in the 1850s but it wasn t until the 1870s that this growing industry would receive national and international attention.
Century purchased by r.
Sligh founded the company in 1880 after working for berkey gay as a finisher and traveling salesman in 1874.
More information about the history and heritage of the furniture industry in grand rapids is also available on the grand rapids public museum website.
Johnson handley johnson organized as a companion company utilizing the same factory showrooms and officers as johnson furniture co.
The grand rapids companies and the number of their employees have been excerpted from the report.
Murray president of murray furniture company and designer david l.
An engaging exploration of the industry that gave grand rapids its nickname.
In 1883 charles r.
Tom handley hired as staff designer.
Among the many interesting statistics were michigan furniture companies and the number of employees.
Gunn adds a retail furniture department to his hardware business.
