Scandinavian Design (store)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Scandinavian Design | |
 |
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| Type | Private (1965-1988) |
|---|---|
| Founded | ?, 1965 |
| Headquarters | Natick, MA |
| Key people | Robert Darvin Founder, CEO |
| Industry | Retail |
| Products | Furniture |
Scandinavian Design, Inc. was a chain of furniture stores with locations in Maine; Massachusetts; Connecticut; New Hampshire; Rhode Island; New York; New Jersey; Washington, D.C.; Maryland; Virginia; and Hawaii, between 1965 and 1988. At its peak the company had almost 70 stores and did almost $100 million in sales. Its headquarters were located at 603 Worcester Road in Natick, Massachusetts.
Founded by Robert Darvin and his wife Gretchen, the company initially sold only contemporary furniture that Mr. Darvin imported from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Belgium. As the company grew, and as consumer tastes changed, it relied more and more on suppliers from the United States, Canada and Italy. The company flourished in the late '70s and early '80s under the leadership of Darvin and Judy George, who came to the chain as part of its acquisition of Hamilton's. The company was named Retailer of the Year by HFD Magazine, a prominent furniture industry trade journal.
The name "Scandinavian Design" was not available in some markets outside New England, so the company used the name "Scandinavian Gallery" in other states, such as New York, New Jersey, and Virginia.
After almost 10 years with the company, George was named president in 1984, but was fired in 1985. She later founded Domain, Inc., her own chain of upscale furniture and home furnishings stores.
The company filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 in 1988. When Scandinavian Design closed its doors, Robert Darvin founded In Home Furnishings, another chain of furniture stores in Massachusetts.
