Craftmaster Furniture celebrates 50 years in business
TAYLORSVILLE — Craftmaster Furniture is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
The company began production in the summer of 1972 in a small mill building in downtown Taylorsville by Steve Lackey and Jack Stokes. The company began with a handful of friends and family that had worked in upholstery manufacturing locally. The ownership also included a few salesmen based in the Southeast that would take the products on the road and sell to small furniture retailers in the surrounding states.
Over the years the company had grown to employ more than 400 associates and become well known for high-quality, stylish, well-priced upholstered furniture. In 2006, Samson Holdings purchased the company to add to its stable of brands that included Legacy Classic and Universal Furniture.
The plan for Samson was to enter the upholstered furniture market in a big way and expand their footprint in the home furnishings segment.
Roy Calcagne was appointed president/CEO of the company that year with the goal of expanding distribution and the product offerings. The company has doubled in revenue since that time and now employs more than 750 associates building high-quality upholstery with 1 million square feet of manufacturing space in western North Carolina.
“Our goal is the same as it was 50 years ago developed by our founders Steve and Jack. It was to build the best quality products that are affordable yet fashion forward and comfortable,” Calcagne said.
“We have become known for having a great fabric selection with over 800 choices available on 75 different collections and accent pieces. I am very proud to have been part of this great company for the past 16 years and to be able to work with a team of professionals that are second to none,” added Calcagne.
Craftmaster will be celebrating its golden anniversary at the upcoming April market and with a large thank-you event to its dealers planned for the October market. The market will also include replications of some of the original introductions.
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