Detailed History

The Early Years: Raymour's Furniture Company

Family owned and operated, Raymour’s Furniture Company, the predecessor of Raymour & Flanigan Furniture, was established by brothers Bernard and Arnold Goldberg in 1947 with a single, modest store in downtown Syracuse, NY.

Current CEO and President Neil Goldberg joined the family business in 1972. Soon after, the company implemented a fully accessorized furniture showroom concept at low take-home or delivered prices. This innovation, coupled with Raymour’s aggressive credit program, paved the foundation for future growth. By the late 1970s, Steven and Michael Goldberg joined the company.

In 1986, with continued growth on the horizon beyond Central New York, the company built a 200,000 sq. ft. office and distribution center in Liverpool, NY.

Once upon a time in 1972...

A New Era: Raymour & Flanigan

The 1990s ushered in a period of virtually nonstop growth and expansion for Raymour’s, beginning with the purchase of 14 Flanigan Furniture locations in Western New York, making the company the largest furniture retailer in New York State.

The 1990s also included expansion into New England, New Jersey and Pennsylvania with the company’s acquisition of Furniture Unlimited stores.

Raymour & Flanigan store front

Explosive Growth Continues into the New Millennium

Raymour & Flanigan entered the new millennium with momentum from the previous decade’s success and aggressively targeted growth in the New York City Metropolitan market. Over 50 stores in six Northeastern states were opened from 2000 to 2006, the main Liverpool distribution center was expanded to 600,000 sq. ft. and a consumer website was launched.

In 2007, Raymour & Flanigan added a 7th state, Rhode Island, to its footprint with the purchase of Alpert’s Furniture; it opened its first New York City Manhattan location; and it launched its own Leadership Development Institute in a newly renovated, state-of-the-art building on the main Liverpool campus, graduating 120 associates.

Raymour & Flanigan also experienced unprecedented growth from January to December 2008, opening 12 showrooms and two clearance centers. A new customer care center was established to serve the expansion in New Jersey and metropolitan New York. As part of the 2008 showroom growth, the company acquired Levitz Furniture leases and opened 10 stores from March to October 2008 in the greater New York City area, increasing service to customers in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, Staten Island and Jersey City.

In addition, the first ENERGY STAR rated showrooms, Phillipsburg, NJ and Garden City, NY, opened. ENERGY STAR buildings prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Also, a 40,000 sq. ft. studio was added to the Field Support Center for furniture photography and TV commercial production.

In 2011, Raymour and Flanigan significantly expanded its Web presence by adding rugs and home décor items, which include lamps, wall art, throw pillows and florals, to its already extensive online furniture catalog and offering free delivery on them. In addition, the company partnered with a trusted, contracted delivery service to extend its furniture delivery area to all states on the eastern seaboard.

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