A century ago, the world looked a little different. Industries that were once in full swing are now either obsolete or largely unrecognizable. The automotive industry had just fallen into the groove of the assembly line, and American-made manufacturing was soaring. Food was made from real ingredients, and furniture was made from solid wood.
For 100 years, Haggard's Fine Furniture has weathered the storm of time, and when it comes to the high quality of their furniture, not much has changed.
The story of Haggard's Fine Furniture began in 1916, when John W. Haggard opened his first store in Oklahoma City, which he called Haggard's Inc.
In the early 1930s, J. Earle Haggard Sr., the son of John W. Haggard, and his brother Jack joined in on the family business, opening numerous stores across the metro and ranging from building new furniture to selling used furniture and nearly everything in between.
"We had ten stores at one time," J. Earle Haggard Jr., president and owner of Haggard's Fine Furniture, said. "We were in all phases of the furniture industry. We built furniture. We 'jobbed' it to other stores. We sold it under [the name] 'Sell Right.' Stores from outside the Oklahoma City area were buying some of the merchandise that we were making – both cased goods and upholstery. We ran a used furniture business, and we were in the new furniture business."
Over the next 30 years, the Haggard family continued to build and sell quality furniture. However, as the Oklahoma City market changed, so did the Haggard's furniture business.
In the early 1960s, Earle Haggard Jr. and his father, Earle Haggard Sr. ventured out, opened their own furniture store, originally located at 23rd and May Avenue, and carried with them the Haggard's name, calling the store "Haggard's May Furniture." Later, the store moved less than a mile north to 34th and May and became known as "Haggard's Fine Furniture."
Nearly five decades later, the store is still open for business.
As one of the oldest family-owned and operated furniture stores in Oklahoma, Haggard's Fine Furniture still offers what they consider to be the highest quality furniture available.
"We wanted for our customers' sake and for our sake to offer the best quality we could find," Haggard said. "We decided to go with Amish and made in America [furniture]... That's why we're a little different than everybody else. I think our quality is superb, and I would say 95 percent of our lines are American made."
It's no secret that the furniture industry has changed over the past century. Many familiar furniture manufacturers now outsource their products to other countries. Haggard believes that the outsourcing of products has made it increasingly difficult to maintain the high level of quality and service that the customer deserves.
"I love solid wood, and you can't find that," Haggard said. "You can't find even the species of wood in Vietnam and China, unless it's imported in from the United States. Our Amish lines, of which we carry 13 or 14 different lines, are solid wood and made in America."
As they celebrate their 100th year in business, Haggard's is looking toward the future. Trends have come and gone, the city's landscape has changed, and Haggard's Fine Furniture has still remained.
What's in store for the years ahead?
"We're going to continue to do the same things that have kept us in business for 100 years: service, better quality, better price point, and offering the customer how they'd want to be treated and what they'd want to buy for many, many years," Haggard said. "It's a disposable industry, but our furniture isn't."
For more information about Haggard's Fine Furniture, visit their website at haggardsfinefurniture.com. To experience the Haggard's legacy firsthand, visit Haggard's Fine Furniture at 3415 N. May Avenue.