WHFA Names Linder Retailer of the Year

April 2, 2007  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on April 2007 The Western Home Furnishings Association has named the Linder Furniture Family its Retailer of the Year. Eric Foucrier, president, and Philip Linder, CEO, of the Linder Furniture Family, which includes Linder’s Furniture, Legacy Home Furnishings and Rooms Express, will be honored on May 8 during WHFA’s 2007 Palm Springs Conference & Tradeshow at the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort.

Award winners are selected on their contributions to the home furnishings industry, service to their own community and their personal business achievements and leadership of their company. Foucrier and Linder have a long established tradition of service, including industry leadership roles such as the Highpoint Market Advisory Board as well as the newly formed Las Vegas Advisory Board.

Linder’s Furniture, founded in 1984 by Linder and Foucrier, is the largest independent furniture chain in California. Linder’s acquired the Legacy stores in January, bringing its network of retail sites to 11 and employment to more than 375. Since then, the company has tripled its presence in the Coachella Valley with stores in Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage and now La Quinta.

Linder’s began as a waterbed store before evolving into an oak specialty store in the early 1990’s. Following the recession of the mid-1990’s, the company was reorganized with the larger stores turned into the present full-line furniture stores.

“We have been through many growth modes … we have been through the good and the bad times,” said Foucrier. Today with three full-line furniture stores featuring top-selling categories such as upholstery, mattresses and electronics, the Linder’s Annual Sales Volume is expected to exceed $80 million dollars in 2007.

Linder’s also has recognized and supported many local athletic teams and children’s causes, such as the City of Hope and Make-a-Wish Foundation. In 2006, Linder’s was selected as Southern California’s Retailer of the Year for the Make-a-Wish Foundation and was responsible for the organization’s most successful fund raising campaign in history. The company also assists in other various and deserving religious, community and charitable organizations, including the recent construction of two homes in the Palm Springs area for Habitat for Humanity.

“I firmly believe that as a successful local business, supporting these organizations is simply my way of thanking a local community for their support throughout the year,” said Linder.