Eighty years ago, in 1941, Henderson’s population was just under 8,000. The U.S. was finally climbing out of The Great Depression. The attack on Pearl Harbor was less than two months away which would bring about World War II. Amid all of this, Vance Furniture Company opened its doors.
And 80 years later those doors remain open, welcoming customers into the tallest building in Henderson. It’s no skyscraper, but the five-story building does offer a unique shopping experience, complete with an antique elevator, said owner Craig Bailey.
Bailey spoke with John C. Rose on Thursday prior to The Local Skinny! broadcast segment, which can be heard below, following a Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting to mark the 80th anniversary of the independently owned and operated business located in the iconic building on 325 S. Garnett St.
Bailey said longtime business partner Sam Harper has been serving customers at Vance Furniture for almost 60 years – that’s at least four generations of customers, he said.
“It’s quite an accomplishment to have made it this long,” Bailey said of the family business.
The business model is simple: “We honestly want to help our customers find the items that will make their homes better,” Bailey said.
People come into the store, and instead of seeing one big showroom full of furniture, they get to travel on the elevator to each different level as they search for that perfect piece of furniture.
The furniture is carefully placed to create vignettes and themes to give customers an idea of how the pieces would look in their homes. “We get to know our customers one on one,” Bailey said, as they browse throughout the building with its tin ceilings and hardwood floors.
Eighty years is a long time to do business, and Bailey said they’ve had to change with the times, too. Recent delays brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic have created wrinkles in delivery times, he said. What used to take 4-6 weeks now takes twice as long, if not longer, he said.
Providing customers with quality service and the custom orders Vance Furniture specializes in is just one reason the business has continued to be successful.
And being around for eight decades is a perfect time “to pause and recognize where you’ve been and the people who’ve helped you over the years,” Bailey said. Despite the ebbs and flows over the years, being in downtown Henderson has been a positive experience. And Bailey said he believes the downtown area is on “the precipice of becoming a viable shopping area once again.” New interests, new people with a great vision are all positive signs for the whole community, he said.
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