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It seems that since the first Nichols set foot into the new world, they've
been producing fine quality chairs and passing on the skill
to the next generation. As early as 1762, there was a Nichols
Brothers Chair Manufactory in Westminster, Massachusetts,
which was worked by bewhiskered Nichols' too numerous to mention.
As the country grew, the Nichols' chair business grew. And
by 1857, it was already an established company that became
the benchmark in craftsmanship. At the turn of the century,
the business was moved to neighboring Gardner, Massachusetts,
to gain an easier access to the railway. The second of two
fires leveled the plant and adversity was turned into opportunity.
The updated brick facility was opened in 1907 by Charles Nichols,
with his new partner Reuben Stone, under the name Nichols
& Stone.
Having survived natural disasters, Nichols & Stone continued
to expand. By the 30's, Edmund L. Nichols and Albert Stone,
had taken the helm. Turning to the more problematic issues
of consumer preference and marketing, they pioneered in merchandising
by specializing in Windsor chairs and Boston rockers, building
the brand awareness still enjoyed today.
Although Mr. Stone left no heir, the stellar reputation of
Nichols & Stone had been established by then, and the name
remained unchanged. Under the steady leadership of Carlton
E. Nichols, Sr., a new focus was chosen to further strengthen
Nichols & Stone. As manufacturing technology improved, machinery
was carefully selected which enhanced efficiency, without
sacrificing integrity. And so it is today.
When the 8th generation Nichols, Carlton, Jr., "Tuck", entered
the business in 1968, he looked at the market trends and concentrated
on expanding additional lines of products requested by Nichols
& Stone consumers. He figured a company that could make a
complicated Windsor chair better than anyone could no doubt
build fine dining room tables, cabinets, and occasional furniture,
so he expanded the line. And he was right.
The 70's brought more change to Nichols & Stone, while the
basics remained unaltered. The early colonial designs used
in each of the Nichols & Stone collections grew to include
Shaker, traditional, and American country designs in 1980,
and additional offerings in the combined stain and paint finishes
which Nichols & Stone made famous a century earlier.
The company's traditional styling has been enhanced by generations
of craftsmen working to perfect techniques of construction
and finish. The clean graceful lines and the patina of the
solid woods are unmistakably Nichols & Stone. Of course, there
are many followers, but the historical dedication to our craft
positions our furniture alone in its field. You need only
look for the Nichols & Stone shield burned into each piece
to verify your choice of the finest solid wood furniture made
by the oldest furniture company still in operation in this
great country of ours.
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