Hickory Chair is celebrating a fresh new direction. What’s the catalyst behind it?
We moved into a new High Point showroom in October 2023, and this gave us an opportunity to create a beautiful, modern environment to showcase our extensive product line. In addition, I joined the company that fall as its new president. 

With a new showroom and a new leader, how did Hickory Chair—a 113-year-old American institution—begin again?
Hickory Chair’s unique culture aligned perfectly with my love of art, history, beauty and fashion. The company respects its heritage while embracing a progressive outlook, and it takes pride in its prowess as one of the few American furniture companies making both custom wood and upholstered furniture today. We want all who work for the company and those who choose to do business with us to have a fulfilling experience. 

Speaking of experience, what have you done differently in your tenure so far at the company?
We should lead with color, art and customized furniture to create fashionable rooms that spotlight our beautifully made products. We want our High Point showroom to feel like a home away from home for our guests. We have an entertaining area with espresso to start the day and cocktails to end it; healthy menus for lunch; and little niceties such as free Wi-Fi and a design center where you can relax and work on projects while at Market.

You mentioned creating inspirational spaces with color. Would you elaborate on this?
Absolutely. The company had focused on neutral fabrics for several years—a design aesthetic that emphasized the elegant form of the upholstery. While that approach may always have its place, we believe that styles evolve. Designers and their clients are receptive to more colorful directions now and eager to follow Hickory Chair’s lead. 

It’s obvious you’re excited about Hickory Chair’s new direction. Are you showcasing more Hickory Chair products now?
We must maintain a balance. For many years, the company chose to focus on its designer collaborations, providing large spaces for each of them to display their collections. These partners remain a vital part of our Hickory Chair family and we value them. However, delegating so much showroom space to collaborations meant there was a limited footprint left over for our own vast offerings. In fact, many of the bestselling pieces from our in-house line had not been shown in years. Going forward, we feel it’s important to take a more equitable approach. While our design partners are still thrilled to have inspirational spaces where they can feature their favorite pieces, we now give pride of place to Hickory Chair’s core products, and our showrooms are also customized to demonstrate the amazing capabilities we have in our Hickory, North Carolina, workroom. 

Approximately 90 percent of Hickory Chair’s assortment is made in America. These past few Markets, numerous imported pieces were also featured. Is this a shift?
It’s not. I see the two as compatible. We want to continue making wood and upholstered furniture in our Hickory workroom as we have done now for more than a century. But there are extraordinary craftspeople around the world who have access to materials that simply are not available to us in America. We believe that a mix makes interiors more interesting and have been designing special pieces for our line in marble, shell, metal and exotic woods, all of which complement what we produce at home in North Carolina.

What sets Hickory Chair apart from other companies?
It begins with the passion of our people. Many of them are second-, third-, even fourth-generation craftspeople who choose to practice their vocation at Hickory Chair. They care about not only the company, but also the person who has chosen Hickory Chair for their home. With all the customization we do, they know that every piece they make is for a real person—not destined to be boxed up on a shelf in a warehouse. This, along with our distinctive product line, makes Hickory Chair a trusted resource for the luxury market.