The history of our furniture store.

In 1974, Edward Bruski purchased an empty building in downtown Rogers City, Michigan. Despite knowing nothing about the furniture business, he and his son Larry Bruski, renovated the space and turned the building into a furniture store. The business was turned over to Larry. Then two years later – at the age of 24 – Bruski faced low sales, backed-up inventory, and unpaid invoices as the country was trying to pull itself out of a serious recession.

Bruski met with his father to discuss what was going on with the store and to ask for a $10,000 loan. His father said that he would not lend him the money. So, Bruski went to the bank and got a line of credit. He feels the lesson he learned from his father is invaluable – that he needed to stand on his own two feet.

In the late 1970s, Bruski realized that there really was no future in promotional furniture – it just wasn’t going to keep the lights on. So, he started selling Pearson Furniture. With a higher price tag came a need to be able to educate his customers on the importance of quality. While other furniture may cost less, it’s practically disposable, needing to be replaced every few years.

Having fallen in love with selling furniture and operating his own store, Bruski swooped in and bought the building of a clothing store that had gone out of business next door in 1983. He knocked out the wall and added a tile and flooring department to Rogers City Home Furnishings. Then, three years later, the barber shop on the other side of his store was listed for sale. Bruski bought the shop and expanded his showroom and available parking. With the increased need for product, he purchased a building across the street two years later – converting it into a heated warehouse. For many retailers, three building purchases and expanded inventory may seem too aggressive, but Bruski never doubted himself. His father always told him to be aggressive and committed to his business.

Since then, Rogers City Home Furnishings has customers coming primarily from three counties away (and occasionally further) to check out their amazing selection of higher-end furniture. If you would like to learn more about our history, click here to read an article that was featured in Retailer Now magazine.