Furniture store closing after 104 years

ASHWAUBENON - After 104 years in business, Schauer and Schumacher Furniture will close its doors next month for good. The store's owners said they can't compete with lower-priced chain stores and that many people also aren't spending money right now.

"We find a lot of people are making due with what they have, espcially our customers because the furniture they have will last," Karen Saari said. She and her husband Curt have owned the store since 1995. It was originally located in downtown Green Bay but the Saaris moved it to 2330 S. Ashland Ave. in 2001.

"We stand behind everything we sell and it's a lot easier to do that when you have quality product," Saari said. But quality often costs more and the price for nice, especially in the current economic climate, has led to a big drop in sales for the store.

That's why the Saari's have decided to close the store for good. The store's lease ends July 31 but it will close once the remaining inventory has been sold. With the reduced prices, Saari said that could happen in just a couple of weeks.

"It was very difficult because it means we will have 13 people, including us, who will not be employed," Saari added.

Their struggles with a higher-end furniture store are not unique. In 2008, there was a 9.3% decrease in consumer spending on furniture and bedding products. Nationwide, that's a drop from $85 billion in sales in 2007 to $77 billion in sales in 2008.

Despite the dip, there was actually a 1.3% increase in the number of units sold last year by the 100 top selling stores. Industry experts said that's because people are still buying, just items that cost less.

"There are a lot of other places other than high-end stores that have some really good furniture and in the midst of this economic downturn, I think the consumer is being very creative in their shopping," Ray Allegrezza, the Editor in Chief of Furniture/Today, said.

The trends show that stores like Schauer and Schumacher are having a tough time surviving. But Saari said all higher-end furniture stores aren't necessarily doomed, but it will likely take a major economy resurgence to turn things around.

"People always, always like nice furniture, good furniture, long-lasting furniture that they could even hand down to their children," Saari said. Shoppers will just have one less place to find it.