La-Z-Boy is a furniture manufacturer based in Michigan, USA. In 1928, the recliner was born, and the company has grown into an authority in the home furnishing industry. The company holds fast to its founding principles of comfort, discovery, and craftsmanship in its recliners, chairs, sofas, and loveseats.
La-Z-Boy furniture is sold throughout different outlets throughout Canada and the United States. It operates via licenses in other countries like Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, and South Africa. Since its inception, La-Z-Boy holds patents representing more than 200 different mechanisms and styles that it utilizes in their furniture.
La-Z-Boy: Three Operations
La-Z-Boy Incorporated represents three operating segments. These segments include the Upholstery Group, the Retail Group, and the Casegoods Group. The Upholstery Group focuses on manufacturing and selling upholstered home furniture to retailers and specialty stores. Some of these types of furniture include recliners and motion furniture, including sleeper sofas and Ottomans. The Retail Group conceptualizes 70 company-owned stores focused in the United States that sells mainly consumers through a retail network. The Casegoods Group sells imported wood furniture like dressers, chairs, and accent pieces. La-Z-Boy also represents several offshoot companies including La-Z-Boy Residential and La-Z-Boy Hospitality.
History
Edward M. Knabusch and Edwin J. Shoemaker were cousins that partnered with each other to invest in a furniture business in the town of Monroe, Michigan. Their primary objective was to design a chair to exemplify nature’s way of relaxing; using a set of crates as a mockup. Eventually, they invented a wood slat chair with a basic reclining mechanism. Once upholstered and marketed year-round, the chair finally became a success. The cousins held a contest as to what they should name the chair, and it was named the La-Z-Boy.
La-Z-Boy takes great pride in their innovation that has withstood almost nine decades. Today, La-Z-Boy has focused on investing in American innovation, with the company headquarters still being located in Michigan. It has expanded to six distribution centers, 111 company-owned stores, with the company represented by more than 6000 employees nationwide.