Martinsville, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
1990s and beyond
| — | Furnishing a Nation: The story of furniture making in Martinsville-Henry County | — |
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, November 4, 2026
1. 1990s and beyond Marker
•1993 – Bassett opens its 200th Bassett Furniture Gallery in New Bedford, Mass.
•1997 – J. Clyde Hooker, Jr. is inducted into the American Furniture Hall of Fame.
•1999 – Hooker and Stanley Furniture celebrate their 75th anniversary, which included a fireworks display at the Martinsville Speedway on July 4th.
•2000 – American of Martinsville and LADD Furniture were acquired by La-Z-Boy and became part of one of the world’s leading furniture producers, with annual sales in excess of $2 billion.
•2003 – Hooker purchases Bradington-Young, a specialist in reclining chairs and upscale leather seating, which complemented Hooker’s strength in home entertainment furniture.
•2004 – Shenandoah Furniture announced a $1.2 million expansion, which will nearly double its Patriot Centre plant. Shenandoah Furniture produces a stylized line of sofas and chairs primarily for private label companies. Crate & Barrel; Room & Board and Design Within Reach are among its customers.
•2006
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•2007 – In January, Hooker Furniture announced it would close its last remaining wood furniture plant. The site had been in operation since 1924 and most recently made bedroom and home entertainment furniture. Hooker’s business model now focuses on marketing, logistics and global sourcing for wood and metal furniture.
•2007 – Hooker Furniture further diversifies into the fabric upholstery business with its purchase of Same Moore, a Bedford, Va.-based manufacturer of upscale occasional chairs. With this acquisition and the earlier Bradington-Young purchase, Hooker Furniture is expected to create approximately $100 million in annual upholstery sales for the company.
•2008 – A.C. Furniture Company, Inc. in Axton has annual revenues of approximately $55 million. The company builds and ships over 10,000 pieces of furniture weekly.
•2008 – Shenandoah Furniture received a great response
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, November 4, 2026
2. 1990s and beyond Marker
•2008 – Bassett Furniture reports $288 million in sales. Hooker Furniture has $316 million in sales. Stanley Furniture has $226 million in annual sales.
It was through integrity and perseverance that the area’s furniture industry was founded over 100 years ago. Martinsville-Henry County furnished a nation and still does. While companies have changed their marketing strategies and product lines over time, furniture is still solidly rooted in Martinsville-Henry County.
(captions)
American of Martinsville celebrates its 100th anniversary
After significant consumer research, the first Bassett Furniture Direct store opened in 1997. The new store environment changed the way furniture is sold today.
According to the Martinsville Bulletin, 28,000 people attended the 75th anniversary celebration of Hooker Furniture and Stanley Furniture at the Martinsville Speedway.
The North Hampton home office furniture line by Hooker Furniture.
Front Page News: Bedford Bulletin announces that Hooker Furniture is purchasing Sam Moore.
The Martinsville-Henry County Office of Economic Development created local ads in 2007 that celebrated furniture being made in the area.
One of American of Martinsville’s new case goods for the hospitality industry—an HDTV Cabinet Base with two drawers.
Acknowledgements
A special thanks to the following individuals and organizations for providing information to chronicle 100 years of furniture making in Martinsville-Henry County:
American of Martinsville
Basset Furniture
Bassett Historical Society
Carl deHart, City Archivist
Martinsville-Henry County Historical Museum
Stanley Furniture
Erected 2009
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, November 4, 2026
3. 1990s and beyond Marker
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce.
Location. 36° 41.413′ N, 79° 52.261′ W. Marker is in Martinsville, Virginia. It is at the intersection of Church Street East and Broad Street, on the right when traveling east on Church Street East. The marker is located in Furniture Heritage Plaza. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 37 Church Street East, Martinsville VA 24112, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southern Virginia. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Early Years (here, next to this marker); 1960s to 1980s (here, next
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, November 4, 2026
4. 1990s and beyond Marker
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, November 4, 2026
5. The Big Chair
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, November 4, 2026
6. The Big Chair Dedication Plaque
Credits. This page was last revised on November 7, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 5, 2026, by C. Ryan Dodson of Danville, Virginia. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on November 5, 2026, by C. Ryan Dodson of Danville, Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
