Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Smith Furniture Closing After 68 Years
May 7,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Merchandising on May 2007
Family-owned Smith Furniture Manufacturing is closing due in part to poor business conditions and because of owner Harry Smiths battle with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.
The Waco, Texas-based upholstery company was founded in 1939.
Mark Smith, vice president and chief operations officer, said the company had been looking for an investor and that could still possibly happen. He said manufacturing would wind down in the next week or so and the office would remain open to collect any outstanding receivables. The current plan is to sell the factory.
Smith said some of the companys dealers would be shipped their orders and others would be canceled. Well be notifying people accordingly, he said.
Harry Smith is in Providence Hospital in Waco, Texas, undergoing chemotherapy. He was diagnosed two-and-a-half weeks ago.
I want to thank our employees and customers for their friendship over the last 68 years, he said.
Smith Furniture has just under 100 employees. In its heyday, the company employed 200.
Mark Smith said his father is not allowed any plants or flowers at the hospital, but suggested people donate blood and have it credited to the Harry Smith Blood Drive at Providence Hospital in Waco.