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Redwood Falls, Minn. —
“My great-grandfather became a homesteader near Mobridge, South Dakota,” said Scott Larson, current owner of the furniture firm.
“He both sold furniture, and was an undertaker who could conduct funerals in both Norwegian and English. His buckboard could convert from hauling furniture into a hearse.”
“Many people wonder why furniture and funeral businesses often went hand-in-hand.
“Until quite recently, it was a logical combination. The companies that manufactured furniture also manufactured caskets. The horses and wagons used to deliver furniture could also be used for funerals.”
(In Redwood Falls, the Masonic Block building currently housing Hair Studio once doubled as a general store and funeral home.)
Lars had many sons, some of whom went into the family business. In 1939, Lars’ son Edwin Sr. moved to Kenyon, Minnesota because of an overabundance of Larson brothers the local furniture and mortuary trades.
Ten years later, Edwin’s son—Edwin Jr.—moved on to Redwood Falls, and opened a furniture store in a brand new facility on Mill St. He chose to concentrate purely on furniture since Redwood already had a successful funeral home.
Scott, the current owner, joined his father in the business in 1974.
When the grocery store moved across the street to become Morgan’s Super Valu, the Larsons took the opportunity to expand their furniture store to fill the entire 31,000 square foot facility, both upstairs and full basement.
“We do remote warehousing so we can use this whole building as our showroom,” Scott said.
The firm’s motto, “Feather your nest with a little down,” was borrowed from a furniture store in South Dakota.
“After he came home from World War II, my father was a traveling salesman,” said Scott. “When he saw the slogan on a store that was going out of business, and the owner said, ‘You can have it.’”
The motto is a pun, with the word “feather” referring to what pillows are stuffed with, and to customers being able to make a small down payment on their purchases.
“Some people don’t understand the motto unless I explain it,” said Scott. “It’s a nice little slogan for us.”
Today, Larson’s Home Furnishings employs about a dozen people, and includes another branch in Marshall. The store also sells floor coverings, and has free local delivery.
Although Larson’s features departments for every room in the house, Scott said the most demand is for “upholsteries,” meaning furnishings that make use of fabric or leather.
“My great-grandfather became a homesteader near Mobridge, South Dakota,” said Scott Larson, current owner of the furniture firm.
“He both sold furniture, and was an undertaker who could conduct funerals in both Norwegian and English. His buckboard could convert from hauling furniture into a hearse.”
“Many people wonder why furniture and funeral businesses often went hand-in-hand.
“Until quite recently, it was a logical combination. The companies that manufactured furniture also manufactured caskets. The horses and wagons used to deliver furniture could also be used for funerals.”
(In Redwood Falls, the Masonic Block building currently housing Hair Studio once doubled as a general store and funeral home.)
Lars had many sons, some of whom went into the family business. In 1939, Lars’ son Edwin Sr. moved to Kenyon, Minnesota because of an overabundance of Larson brothers the local furniture and mortuary trades.
Ten years later, Edwin’s son—Edwin Jr.—moved on to Redwood Falls, and opened a furniture store in a brand new facility on Mill St. He chose to concentrate purely on furniture since Redwood already had a successful funeral home.
Scott, the current owner, joined his father in the business in 1974.
When the grocery store moved across the street to become Morgan’s Super Valu, the Larsons took the opportunity to expand their furniture store to fill the entire 31,000 square foot facility, both upstairs and full basement.
“We do remote warehousing so we can use this whole building as our showroom,” Scott said.
The firm’s motto, “Feather your nest with a little down,” was borrowed from a furniture store in South Dakota.
“After he came home from World War II, my father was a traveling salesman,” said Scott. “When he saw the slogan on a store that was going out of business, and the owner said, ‘You can have it.’”
The motto is a pun, with the word “feather” referring to what pillows are stuffed with, and to customers being able to make a small down payment on their purchases.
“Some people don’t understand the motto unless I explain it,” said Scott. “It’s a nice little slogan for us.”
Today, Larson’s Home Furnishings employs about a dozen people, and includes another branch in Marshall. The store also sells floor coverings, and has free local delivery.
Although Larson’s features departments for every room in the house, Scott said the most demand is for “upholsteries,” meaning furnishings that make use of fabric or leather.
Any furniture store has to take into account trends and fashions.
While Scott and his staff keep up with the latest trade magazines, and consult with sales reps about what’s hot, he said he doesn’t worry too much about items going out of fashion. Those 1970s era avocado-colored stools in your basement?
“They’ll be back,” laughed Scott. “The styles all seem to come back around.
"We used to unload furniture from boxcars on the railroad siding on Tin Street. My great-grandfather would be amazed to see how on-line catalogs, web sites, toll-free telephone numbers, fax, e-mail, and instant credit have increased the pace of business.
