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toomuchwashing

pennsylvania house subsidiary of La-Z Boy

toomuchwashing
17 years ago

I should have read this forum first before buying. I just took delivery of my Pennsylvania House sectional. I was assured by the saleperson it was made in Pennsylvania. I just read the tag and it says: Pennsylvania House Subsidiary of La-Z Boy, Inc.

Taylorvillesville NC

When did La-Z Boy buy Pennsylvania House???

So much for the good old days when you bought high end goods they were from reputible companies. At least it was made in the USA.

Comments (15)

  • tinker_2006
    17 years ago

    Much to my surprise.. while recently furniture shopping, I found out that Clayton Marcus AND are Subsidiary of La-Z Boy, Inc!

  • mactruck
    17 years ago

    Happened last year.
    First thing La-Z-Boy did was to close the Penn House Case goods factory in Pennsylvania. Then they put over 400 people out of work and sent their jobs to China.

    Here is a news link :
    http://archive.dailyitem.com/archive/2004/1228/biz/stories/05biz.htm

    IMHO - Corporate Manufacturers focus on Quantity!
    Private (Family) manufacturers focus on QUALITY!

  • toomuchwashing
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    I am sorry, if I had known I wouldn't have bought Pennsylvannia House.

  • clg7067
    17 years ago

    That s**ks. I'll bet their pocketing the additional profit, too.

    Sorry, I just get so mad about all the stuff we import from China. It's hard not to find it.

  • bsusan
    17 years ago

    Why not let Pennsylvania House know that we won't purchase from their subsidiaries that manufacture in China!

    That's probably why so many people are buying from the Amish. Heaven help us if they decide to outsource to China as well!

  • david_gf
    17 years ago

    FYI- Penn House and Clayton Marcus upholstery fans- It was just announced that LAZBoy would combine their operations into one.

  • oldtable
    17 years ago

    I worked at The Pa. House facility in Lewisburg for 25 years.

    When Lazy Boy purchased the company in 2000, most of us had the foresight to realize the days of the factory were numbered.

    They began manufacturing in China in the late '90s under the former owners and it escalated under Lazy Boy.

    We used to spend a lot of time repairing Chinese made furniture that was absoltely pathetic. I seen much of it close up and I assure everyone that it was junk.

    They closed the plant in early 2005 which threw almost 500 loyal and experienced employees out into the street. We took a lot of pride in assuring that the public got the best piece of furniture we could make. We weren't perfect, but we made a superior product compared to what is made in China.

  • john_wc
    17 years ago

    It is a shame about Pa House. They used to make exellent quality furniture and were very dependable. Whether they are owned by LaZboy or someone else, mfg. offshore is a sign of the times. Unfortunate, but it does not appear to be a tide that will soon, if ever, reverse its course.

  • andrelaplume2
    17 years ago

    Off the poster's topic but....we are buying a home and the elderly owner has a cherry pa house dininig room set he said was purchased in eith 1989 or 1992. It consists of 6 side chairs (he is keeping the arm chairs), a table, 2 leafs (table could sit 10 he said) and a approx 5 to 6 foot long china cabinet. It looks to be excellent shape, he said it was not used much. I have no idea what this set might be worth. Anyone have any thoughts? I assume it was still qaulity furniture back then....

  • oldtable
    17 years ago

    Even though I worked there for 25 years, I really don't know what a fair price would be.

    But, at least it would have been manufactured in the Lewisburg facility. There's even a possibilty I could have been involved in assembling the chairs. .

    The model number for the chairs are possibly 12-3109 and 12-3210 for the table. There where several models of cherry
    dining room tables.

    The China is most likely a 12-3610 or 3620. Both were extremely good sellers.

  • lorinscott_1
    17 years ago

    Holy cow....I'm sure glad I bought my PH tables prior to the start of their mfg. in China!

  • rockyn
    17 years ago

    For what it's worth, Lazyboy also owns Englands.

  • marys1000
    17 years ago

    I'm glad this was posted. I have a PH sofa I bought around 1990. Its still ok but getting a little soft and the upholstery pattern is just starting to fray in places. In the new house a small sectional would fit the tiny living room better. I was hoping to get another PH since I love my old sofa so much. Not now, no way. If I'm going to buy junk I'll pay less for it thank you vs. companies charging an arm and a leg based on their old reputation and selling you junk anyway. Seems the only way to buy good quality US these days is to either (1) afford something super pricey like Hendrendon which I can't or (2) buy Amish. Second choice - buy Canadian.
    Mary

  • toomuchwashing
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    To update :
    (also see Trauma with Pennsylvannia House sofa)
    "We sent the sectional back and asked for a refund. The salesperson called and claimed it was my floor and that it was fixible. She had the bracket adjusted and claimed it was not a tweaked frame and said adjustable tabs on the feet would fix the problem of all the feet not resting on the floor. Finally DH stepped in with the final word that we would not except it back. Salesperson was short and hung up. Waiting for my refund, don't know if I'll get the stain protection ($200) refunded or not.
    Back to square one looking for a new sofa."

    But at least I won't be kicking myself for keeping a questionable sofa that the reason for buying high end and paying the $$$$ was because it was supposed to last years.

    I concur with Mary.

  • bruceb28
    17 years ago

    Political correctness is fine. Foolish purchasing decisions are not fine. There's nothing wrong in deciding not to buy furniture made in China, especially so-called high-end furniture, since it's crystal clear that the Chinese furniture manufacturers can't hold a candle to American craftspeople. I speak from experience ---

    We bought a PA House Hallmark Cherry Hutch in about 1983; I presume it was made in PA, or at least in the US, it's lasted wonderfully. In 1999 we moved into a house and finally had room for a dining set. Since PA House was still making the same collection, we bought a matching table, 6 side chairs, 2 arm chairs and a mobile server. I wish we had known La-Z-Boy had outsourced this wonderful product to China. It took almost 3/4 of a year for delivery. Within 3 weeks, the woods in the table swelled so that with leaves in the table, there are very noticeable gaps on the table surface. Within two months, every chair had mild to severe splits in the wood backs. And the surface of the mobile server (which open up like a book to provide a large serving surface) warped so that one "leaf" stands up at the back while the other stands up at the front. Charming crap, they make in China. My months of complaints to PA House/La-Z-Boy went unanswered. I had to file a complaint with the North Carolina Attorney General's Office - only then did the company respond, and then only to the AG's Office. The letter signed by Yvette Nixon of PA House, was dated 9/27/06. Ms. Nixon said PA House would repair the furniture and would contact me. It's now 10/5/06. I still haven't heard from Ms. Nixon, have you?
    STAY FAR, FAR AWAY FROM THE PURE UNADULTERATED CRAP, CRAP, CRAP MARKETED BY LA-Z-BOY UNDER THE PA HOUSE LABEL, BUT MADE BY UNDERPAID DRONES IN CHINA!!!! BUY AMERICAN !!!!

    FEEL FREE TO DISTRIBUTE THIS INFORMATION !!!! DON'T LET ANYONE ELSE BUY FROM PA HOUSE !!!!