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"It's the right product at the right price, and we have great sales people," says Bill Thompson, referring to the success of his store, Rider Furniture, which opened in 1977.
"The specialty is good quality at substantial savings. Also, if there should ever be a problem, it will be taken care of. People know they can count on us."
Mr. Thompson's knowledge of fine furniture has been acquired over many years in the furniture business. As a boy, he worked for Ben Rider, the original owner of Rider Furniture. "Initially, the business was refinishing, repairing, and antiques," he explains. "I went to school and was trained in woodworking and furniture restoration, and I became interested in good furniture. Then, I bought the business in 1977."
It grew steadily, and so did the need for more space. Mr. Thompson and his wife and co-owner Sue Thompson moved Rider to the current location at 4621 Route 27 in Kingston in 1991.
Special Place
"This is a special place," notes Mrs. Thompson. "It has a handsome look, and much needed space. We added a new section with unique post and beam construction, which blends well with the original building, part of which dates to 1750."
Certainly, it provides a wonderful showcase for Rider's selection of furniture and accessories, including mirrors, lamps, Howard Miller grandfather clocks, and a big display of framed art in all sizes. Area rugs and Serta mattresses are also available.
"We are still selling mostly American-made products," says Mr. Thompson. It's primarily transitional and traditional furniture in a variety of styles and woods."
Cherry wood is a special favorite, adds Mrs. Thompson. "It is nice hard wood and very pretty."
A variety of sample room settings, including dining room, bedrooms and home offices, are situated throughout the showroom. Customers enjoy browsing, and it is helpful for them to see the possibilities for their own space.
"We do a lot of home offices today, and we also do work for businesses and places such as Princeton University," reports Mr. Thompson.
Big Item
Leather, mostly American-made, is another big item, and it is offered in sofas and chairs, including desk chairs, in many styles and colors. Its durability is a big attraction for customers.
"We sell a lot of sectionals, too, including Lane, which are especially popular," notes Mr. Thompson. "And we are doing a lot with youth furniture and have a room just set up for kids' needs, such as beds, bookcases, desks, etc. from Stanley Furniture, featuring the Young America line. We also have cribs."
Entertainment centers continue to be very popular, and cabinets for high definition and wide-screened TVs are in demand now, report the Thompsons. Bedroom furniture includes the handsome, elegantly-styled Mount Vernon Collection from Durham Furniture, based on furniture from George Washington's home in Mount Vernon, Va.
Other important lines are the Williamsburg Collection by Nichols & Stone, featuring dining room, bedroom, and occasional furniture.
Customized furniture is a big trend today, and Rider has a myriad of choices. "We have a lot of upholstered furniture, and the customer can pick from thousands of fabrics," points out Mr. Thompson. "In fact, we have set up our porch to display all our fabric samples. You can choose whatever you want. It's all custom. You can even pick out the style of the arm or leg or base and back of the sofa. We have been getting more into the custom end, and it's really popular with people."
It is available in many areas throughout the store. For example, the Custom Shoppe Home Office for a stylish and comfortable workspace offers choices in every area, says Mr. Thompson. "You can customize everything: size, hardware, with choice of knobs, color of cabinet doors, wood and finishes. There are just so many options. And it is at a fraction of the cost of what it would be to have a cabinetmaker come and do it."
Color and Style
In addition, dressers and dining room tables can be customized to color and style. "The Bermex line of tables from Canada are big sellers," reports Mr. Thompson. "You can choose the leg for the table, the style of the table edge, and the apron under the edge, as well as the color."
A very attractive option is an upholstered storage chest, similar to a cedar chest at the foot of the bed, and available in thousands of fabrics. Mr. Thompson adds that some customers prefer to get their own material to match their decor.
He also points out a section of area rugs available in many patterns, including Oriental, and sizes "You can even take a sample rug home to see how it looks with your decor."
Rider has a big warehouse and distribution center in Dayton with a showroom, he notes. The Kingston store features photos, prominently displayed, of special sale items, including discontinued or floor models of dining room tables, bedroom sets, sofas, sectionals, etc.
In addition to its overall reasonable price range, Rider has on-going monthly sales, with a current March special on bedrooms and mattresses.
"We are grateful to have had the support of so many loyal customers over the years who come from all over the area and beyond, even New York," say the Thompsons. "We feel very fortunate. We have continued to grow even in an uncertain economic environment. We always try to treat people the way we want to be treated: fairly and with respect. Our quality products at reasonable prices, our great sales team, and our nice relaxed atmosphere always bring people back. No one is ever pressured here."
Rider Furniture is open Monday through Friday 10 to 6, Thursday until 8, Saturday until 5, Sunday 12 to 4. 609-924-0147. Website: www.Riderfurniture.com.
