Occupational change gloat!!!

[mark page]

Well I just dived off the board and took the plunge. I spent the last 22 yrs of my life in the automobile dealership service sales and management area. It has been good for me and can't complain, but in the last 10 yrs the business just isn't what is was and may never be again. I took a sales position with the nations largest home furnishings retailer under one roof, Nebraska Furniture Mart, and they are impressive here in KC area. Three locations so far, Omaha, Des Moines, and KC. Owned by Warren Buffett now and managed by the family of the original founder. 1.1 million square feet of facility. Anything in the home can be purchased here or special ordered, from lower end to extreme upper end furnishings. I am specializing in dining room designs which at least has something to do with woodwork. They have and can get some beautiful woodwork.
No biggie--just an occupational change. Been in sales all my life, just a different product.
NOW HERE'S THE GLOAT: They have a woodworking shop for furniture repair that's out of this world. My trainers learned that I'm into woodworking so volunteered a tour of the shop. I didn't even know they had one. This is a fully equipped shop to dream of. Not just one shop but many. Every type of wood, veneers, and ply imaginable in stock. All employees in this area are master craftsman and proven in the trade. The tour consisted of these separate areas (not counting storage areas) and each probably had more square footage than my home. First was the upholstery shop--impressive but not my cup of tea interest wise. Second the woodworking shop, anything that creates sawdust is here. A fully equipped shop with everything imaginable. They don't have to mop the floor tonight as my tongue already did it. In fact painful to talk now as I stepped on tongue at least 6-7 times, lol :D Dust control must be superb as I did not find the slightest bit of sawdust in the entire facility (and I was looking). There wasn't too much time for me to mingle and brouse on the tour. Third the assembly and tear-down room, impressive. Fourth the finish room and spray booths. Fifth the curing room after finishing.
I know where I'll be spending break and lunch times now. In fact my trainer stated that several employees of the shop have won the companies annual presidential achievement award, and that's usually unheard of for an employee that works in what's known as a "back-end support department".
Hopefully I have found a career that has the best of both worlds in it.

[glenn bradley]

Congrats on the change of venue. the perks sound pretty cool too.

[Dave Sinkus]

sounds like you have rekindled the excitement of "heading to work"

Best of luck....keep us posted

[Greg Cole]

Hey Mark,
Sounds good from here. Not enough can be said for liking what you do for a living. My day job is 180* from WWing, but I enjoy what I do, whom I work and can't ask for a better fit for me anyway.
I too am in KC, and have been to the NFM by the KS Speedway once. I am shocked that they have a full WWing shop at all never mind upholstery etc etc. My one trip there was to look at a kids bed.... the stain job had runs-drips, the drawers under the bed were inoperable etc. I know demo pieces have a rough life.... Anyway, I in typical Creeker fashion proceeded to tell LOML I'd be more than willing to make one. :D

Cheers.
Greg

[mark page]

Hi Greg,

The shop doesn't make the furniture there, but instead repairs it if any problems. Usually this is on high end furniture as I understand it anyways. I know some of the mass produced factory furniture is a caveat emptor type thing.
best wishes,
Mark

[Bruce Page]

Sounds great Mark. Maybe after they get to know you they'll let you use the shop!

[mark page]

They have me impressed. Store has been only in operation since 2004 and running a vintage Rockwell Delta Unisaw with comm. Beise setup with overarm guard/dust collection (unknown brand ?) setup. Don't know where this unit came from due to the age of the system, maybe from one of their other stores. Heck, they even have a cyclone setup in their auto audio installation bays. Walk by that cyclone drooling everyday, lol.

[Jim Becker]

And think of the opportunities for you to create your own "measured drawings".... :D

(Congrats on your new situation!)

[Jon Lanier]

Congratulations! Sounds like you are going to make the best of a new situation. Way to go!!!

[Dennis Peacock]

Congrats..!!!!!!! A dream come true?!! I hope.

[Jim O'Dell]

WOW, they're even in to car audio?? That is really odd for home furnishings company. Hmm, wonder if the wife would mind moving to KC? :eek:
Per the PM, glad you found this position and hope it is everything it appears to be! Jim.

[mark page]

Hey Jim, check out their website. Nebraskafurnituremart.com. Everything electronics, etc is available. It's an impressive store. KC area is their largest facility less warehousing space, We have 80 acres of facility and now they state wanting to add onto the warehouse area. Heck I sometimes get lost in the store and forget where I parked in the employee parking lot. Appx 1500 employees here. Touring the warehouse side was impressive. They have a 12 minute attempted golden rule of pulling furniture merchandise for customer pickup (that's non-assembled furniture). Can eat off the floor in the warehouse. Everything is poly-sealed floors. Good news is I can cross train if wanted into anything furniture related. The electronics/major appliances & flooring areas are totally separate animals and cannot cross-train in these areas. Can transfer dept's if wanted to later but give up the right to sell furniture. In otherwords no one single person can sell anything that is stocked in the store. All major departments have their subdivisions, all subdivisions can cross-train in their own departments.
Again, good luck and best wishes in your new dealership.
Mark