Leishman’s of Santa Fe to Close

March 17, 2015  by in Furniture Retailing, Industry   

The store’s going out of business sale will begin Thursday and is managed by Planned Furniture Promotions.

Owner John Stevenson passed away in April 2012, after a lengthy fight with Lou Gehrig’s disease. Stevenson’s wife, Katie, has been operating the store since that time. 

“I continued to operate the business successfully, but I have other interests, including two elderly parents that require my assistance,” she said. “It’s to a point that I feel like this is what John would have wanted me to do.”

Leishman’s was founded as Broom’s Furniture during the 1960s. In the 1980s, the store was acquired by the Leishman furniture family of Albuquerque and renamed at that time. After working at Leishman’s for about three years, John Stevenson bought the business in the early 1990s. Stevenson was passionate about the furniture business.

“His customers and his employees were really John’s family,” said Katie Stevenson. 

Although the store sells every category of furniture, Stevenson believed his focus on quality patio furniture, brand name mattresses and quality upholstery would sell well in Santa Fe. As a retailing visionary, he knew excellent service was critical to future success. Partnering with reputable vendors and offering the highest level of customer care became standards at Leishman’s of Santa Fe. Before Stevenson’s death, he had solidified longtime relationships with vendors such as Gloster, O.W. Lee, Woodard, Homecrest, Jensen Leisure, Stearns and Foster, Sealy, Flexsteel, Rowe, and Ekornes-Stressless. 

“John recognized the importance of outdoor furniture to our lifestyle in Santa Fe,” said Katie Stevenson. “Our climate allows us to live outdoors much of the year. John supplied the furniture that made us comfortable on our patios, adding extra rooms to our homes without involving a contractor.” 

Today, Leishman’s of Santa Fe is the largest patio furniture showroom in New Mexico.

“You’d have to travel to Denver, Dallas or Phoenix to find a larger one,” she said. “John and I shared a great life together and John, along with his dedicated team, built this wonderful business. This is not a time for sadness. This sale will be a celebration of Leishman’s history in Santa Fe.  This event will offer our customers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to buy name-brand furniture at going-out-of-business prices. I am excited to see many old friends during the sale and suggest shoppers come in early for the best selection. I will forever be thankful and grateful for my wonderful years with my Leishman’s family and the community of Santa Fe.”