Buying Furniture in Charlotte

You’ll find lots of info out there on the Hickory Furniture Mart, just an hour outside of Charlotte that is home to many of the popular furniture manufacturers. Personally, I found it interesting for ideas, but too expensive. I kept hearing for years how this was the place to go and get everything, and when I finally get here it was a serious disappointment, and went home empty handed. Matt can vouch for the fact that I rarely come home with nothing.

Through word of mouth–which is how you find out about all the good stuff–I discovered Furniture Factory Outlet on Lancaster Highway in Waxhaw. The darned thing is is the middle of nowhere, but so worth the trip. For one, it’s huge. It is a former factory that now has nothing more than great quality finds at terrific prices, including mattresses. Want a grandfather clock for $500 bucks? It’s here. A whole bedroom set in burl wood with a poster bed? Hop on over.Some things can be ordered, but most stuff is straight off the floor (but in immaculate condition). The catch is that they pretty much don’t deliver (except for the ordered stuff), so people drive up with rented U-haul trucks or those $19 an hour Home Depot pick up trucks. If you’ve got a friend with access to a large vehicle or van, they you’re in luck.

Ashley Furniture and Value City are pretty inexpensive, but the quality reflects it. You’ll pay darn near the same thing as the place above, but it won’t be as good. If you need an inexpensive couch for $450 bucks and you don’t expect it to last more than 3 or 4 years, then this might very well be the place to go. Expect the couch arms will be made of particleboard and have fabric that will not be durable.

Honestly, you’d be better off heading to family-owned Tyndall Furniture or Efirds. There’s heaps crammed onto the floor, and you can also browse their books and purchase something specific that way. You can get a Rowe couch for just $650 (depending on the fabric), and it will be 8-way hand-tied and real wood–and it will last you 15 or more years. So, do your math and make sure that that $450 couch is really worth it. Some of the bigger furniture stores do have outlets, such as Boyle’s, who just opened a new one out on Highway 74.

Decor can be found in virtually every shopping center around Charlotte. Home Goods just opened two locations in Charlotte and is a mecca for inexpensive, but interesting goods. There are people that swear by the Black Lion, which has two locations and hosts small shops that are individually owned by regular folks like us who want a way to have their own business. I prefer the one in Pineville versus the one in the Concord Mills Mall.

Charlotte Interiors is a great web source for finding local places to shop for all your home, furniture and decorating needs.