Furniture 101

...and right now—it’s a buyer’s market at Dimitroff's.

By: Ken McEntee
Date: 10/22/2009
One of Nick Dimitroff’s customers recently visited his Bath Township furniture store.

“The sofa she bought from us was 14 years old,” Nick relates. “I thought, oh, good, she’s here to buy another sofa. Instead she bought a chair to go with the sofa. It was still in great shape.”

That, Nick says, exemplifies the difference between buying high-quality furniture and furniture of lesser quality. Contrary to what many consumers believe, he explains, the higher quality selection is often the lower-cost choice.

“Let’s say we have a couch for $1,400,” he says. “That couch will last 10 to 15 years. The construction is better, it looks better, and the fabric has a larger thread count compared to the $800 sofa that has a lower thread count, doesn’t sit as well, is constructed on fiberboard rather than a solid wood frame, and will last for four years. Over time, if one does the math, which one is the better buy?”

Nick suggests that shoppers who buy only on price are making a big mistake.

But here’s something you might not realize: If you do want to price shop, Dimitroff’s Furniture and Design often can out-deal the chains and other stores that advertise huge bargains.

Pointing out a particular bedroom set on the floor of his 42,000 square-foot store, Nick notes, “Some people have the idea that we’re expensive, but that bedroom set is $3,000. I’ll guarantee the discount chains are selling a similar set for $5,500 that isn’t nearly as well made.”

The high-end perception of Dimitroff’s is both true and false. The 25-year-old store carries luxury manufacturers like mahogany specialist Henkel Harris, which is represented by 13 difference pieces in the White House. But it also sells mid-level brands.

“Many people don’t realize it, but we offer the best value of any furniture store in Northeast Ohio,” Nick says.

“But I will not compromise on quality.”

At the high end, along with Henkel Harris, Dimitroff’s also carries Harden Furniture, which he says makes the finest solid cherry furniture in the country.

“These are heirloom pieces that, given time, you actually can sell them for more than you paid for them,” Nick notes. “But not everybody wants an heirloom, so we also carry mid-priced manufacturers of good quality that will last a long time and still meet our strict standards.

The store carries dining sets ranging between $1,000 and $14,000, and bedroom sets that range between $2,000 and $22,000.

And now, Nick says, may be the best time ever to buy furniture.
“Because of the economy, our industry is in flux,” he explains. “Every manufacturer is offering big discounts which we pass along to the consumer—sometimes 50- to 60-percent off the suggested retail price.”

But even with the great deals, he says, beware of sales pitches.

“One of the biggest tricks is three-year, interest-free financing,” he warns.

One store that is famous for no-interest financing, he says, had a bed on sale for $1,399. “We sell the same bed every day for $899,” Nick remarks. “The customer falls for the no interest financing and ends up paying 40-percent more for the bed. I get irritated when I see things like that.”

And the direct-buy catalog clubs annoy him as well.

“People come in and say they can save 5-percent with those clubs,” Nick says. “But how much are you saving when you add in the $4,000 you paid to join the club? And you don’t even get to see what you’re buying unless you drive to my store to look at it. It’s nonsense.”

Independent dealers who own their own buildings, he says, can offer better prices than chain stores that have to cover high rents and franchise fees.

“The independent store owner is able to operate at a much lower gross margin,” he explains.

Nick adds that while America has lost 60-percent of its furniture manufacturing base over the past five to seven years to overseas countries like China, 70- to 75-percent of his furniture is American made.

“It is an American tragedy,” he says. “American made furniture is still the best quality in the world.”

Dimitroff’s is located at 981 Ghent Road near I-77. Hours are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Tuesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon-5 p.m. You can learn more about Dimitroff’s huge selection of living room, dining room, bedroom and office furniture at
www.DimitroffsFurnishings.com or call 330-666-0786.

Email This Story To A Friend

Your Friend's Email Address:

Your Name:

Your Email Address: