Customers Help Rescue 190-Year-Old Clore Furniture

One Century Club company celebrating their 190th anniversary this year almost didn't make it. Faced with competition from low-priced, mass-produced furniture the 6th generation Clore to run the company announced they would be closing: he couldn't see the point in letting the nearly 200-year-old Virginia company wither and die. Then it happened: The company's tradition of craftsmanship had developed a loyal following and before the company actually closed, longtime customers returned to order another chair or table before furniture-making ended. Then new customers started appearing. The company suddenly had a 6-month backlog of orders and no reason to close. "We're going to hang on as long as we can," says the current president. "We believe sustainable, lasting purchases help make our community and the world a better place to live" and are hoping a new generation of young homeowners agree.