WESTERN RETAILER OF THE YEAR FEDDE FURNITURE

Furniture World Magazine

The first recipient was Fedde Furniture, Pasadena, California, founded in 1937 by Arnold Fedde. It is currently celebrating its 60th year in business on Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena. The main store, known as Fedde's Fine Homefurnishings, totals 22,000 square feet in two buildings featuring traditional and craftsman furniture. A new 7500 square foot life-styles store, known as Fedde's FirstHome Furniture, was opened in the summer of 1996 across the street on a large property purchased for eventual further expansion. Third generation member Mark Fedde has been the buyer/manager for the main store for the past seven years; Don Fedde has been the CEO since the death of his father in 1963; and his sister Melinda Fedde Kenney is buyer/manager for the FirstHome location. The company currently enjoys best-ever relationships and sales volume with manufacturers such as Century, Pennsylvania House, Michaels, Stanley, Lexington, Sherrill, Hickory Chair, Hooker, Cavalier, Hekman, Sligh, Winners-Only, Aireloom, and Diamond Mattress. The new store features La-Z-Boy, Broyhill, Universal, Lea, and American Traditions by Sherrill. The quality of display in the Century and Pennsylvania House Galleries is carried throughout the store with other vendors where possible. Most satisfying to Don has been the successful and happy integration of the family into the business. In 1989, his duties as Tournament of Roses/Rose Bowl President required a heavy travel schedule and he was mostly absent from the business for a year. Mark Fedde was forced to make many decisions, and the company has experienced nearly a threefold sales increase under Mark's merchandising leadership since then. Melinda left a very successful position in a non-related field to successfully manage the new store, although she has just taken time off for a new baby. Also very notable has been the firm's ability to retain good employees over a long term, the longest being over 40 years. Many of the staff are capable of managing the store and have managed other stores before joining Fedde's. Because of management's active civic involvement, the company contributes regularly to many local groups and organizations, including Villa Esperanza, a school for the developmentally disabled; the Pasadena Symphony; Pasadena Jr. League; Pasadena Jr. Philharmonic; Pasadena Historical Museum; the San Gabriel Civic; and Pasadena Rotary and Toun~ament of Roses Foundations, which support other local charitable needs. Don Fedde has been a member of NHFA Board of Directors for two years, and Sub-Chair for exhibits for NHFA's 1997 All-lndustry Convention in San Diego. Fedde's follows a policy of granting customer wishes whenever possible, including the unreasonable ones, and tries very hard to retain as much customer goodwill as possible. Weekly meetings are held with all staff to deal with customer service issues, and how to anticipate and handle unforeseen factory problems. Delivery staff are uniformed, and trucks kept clean for best customer impression. Salespersons are responsible for all the communication with their customer, from sale to delivery scheduling to delivery follow-up and thank you note. Single contact with the customer helps eliminate misunderstandings. The main store continues to offer free local delivery, and through a customer call-in system, can usually advise the customer the approximate time of delivery to minimize their waiting time. Feddes have developed low bed trucks with 96" high side clearance that will still clear most of the trees in tree-lined Pasadena. The trucks utilize lightweight rail type lift gates, and their 4 cylinder turbocharged diesels have 80 gallon tanks for a very minimum of fuel stops. The newest truck has distinctive signage on all four sides in the company's gray and burgundy color scheme, which matches the light gray building with burgundy awnings. As to store signage, the 1948 script neon roof sign has been rebuilt many times, and has been designated a Route 66 landmark. In the warehouse, inundated with packing materials, a recent wonderful solution is the addition of a 42" 115 volt vertical baler. Clear plastic is baled for recycling, and foam and other non-cardboard materials are condensed 10-20 fold for a huge savings in trash fees. Cardboard is flattened and placed in a dedicated hi-cube trailer for recycling, allowing the store to use a 3 cubic yard trash bin, emptied only once a week. A dust-free motorized vacuum sweeper with special filters is used daily to clean the 350' of sidewalk and gutter in front and alongside the store, with the planned benefit of a minimum need to dust the merchandise.