Outside Charlotte, a family-run furniture store is closing after nearly 80 years
After nearly eight decades of furnishing homes in the Charlotte region, a local retail fixture is preparing to dim its lights for the last time.
Biggerstaff Furniture, a family-owned business that has spanned four generations, is closing its doors after 78 years at 1701 W. Franklin Blvd., Gastonia, west of Charlotte. Details on the closing date and the number of workers the store has were not immediately available Thursday.
Biggerstaff’s closure follows a trend of long-standing, family-owned furniture businesses closing across the country as owners retire amid changing retail landscape, as Furniture Today reported in April.
Owner Ray Biggerstaff announced his retirement, signaling the end of an era for the company founded in 1948 by his grandfather, Raymond Biggerstaff.
“It has been a privilege to serve multiple generations of families,” Ray Biggerstaff said in a statement shared with The Charlotte Observer on Thursday. “We are incredibly thankful for the support, friendships and memories that have defined our journey.”
A liquidation sale is underway on living room and dining sets, mattresses and home accessories.
Biggerstaff Furniture officials weren’t immediately available for comment Thursday.
About Biggerstaff Furniture
The store originally opened on Franklin Boulevard in a different spot, just 300 yards from where it is today. Over the years, the business transitioned from Raymond to his son, Bob, then to his grandson, Robert.
In 2008, the fourth generation joined when Robert’s son, Bobby, entered the family business.
In 2014, the furniture store moved into its 15,000-square-foot showroom that once served as a church building. The store carries brands like Bassett, Kincaid, Sealy and Vaughan-Bassett.
“We will always cherish the relationships built along the way,” Ray Biggerstaff said.
