Help, please. Need advice. Has anyone traveled from the Northeast to NC to buy furniture? I get such mixed reviews. Some say ..... absolutely ...... others
say ..... you can do just as well locally if you shop the sales, etc. My problem - my husband. He is not crazy about the idea. I hate to have him make the trip and then be disappointed. Any and all info greatly appreciated!

It's really not necessary to travel all the way to NC to get the discounted furniture. Just shop your local stores and pick out what you'd like to purchase. Write down the exact details of every piece you are interested in: manufacturer, name of item, and any codes and/or numbers. Then you can call the outlets (many have an 800 number) and get a price quote over the phone. Several have websites, too.

This reminds me when a year or two ago someone went knocking door-to-door in my Brooklyn, NY apt. bldng. asking if anyone was interested in buying furniture from NC! It seemed bizarre to me!

From the son of an interior designer and long-time Carolina resident...

Maybe. I agree with the comment regarding "find what you want, write the numbers & styles down, then call." The problem with that strategy is that some of the BEST deals are in tiny, beat-up looking stores in small towns such as Hickory and Lenoir. The best time to check out these places is 30 days after the twice-a-year market in High Point.

You can save substantial amounts...but need to be able to spot bargains. And it's tough to find those little nooks...they're disguised as beat-up, shoddy looking warehouses.

Last point: factor in shipping. When shopping down here, you've got to get it back up there...and most of these small places make you take it when you buy it.

Hope this helps!

One other consideration: style.

IMHO most of the NC factories and stores specialize in the most traditional and conventional styles of furniture -- Colonial, Queen Anne, etc. -- things you'd see advertised in the large chains or your average Sunday supplement. Some of it is very well made, mind you; and you would get some great bargains if you follow advice already posted.

But if you want something either more contemporary or something not like all the other bedroom, living room, or dining "soots" (how "suites" are pronounced down here), you may be disappointed.

On the other hand, there are good reasons to visit NC _other_ than the furniture!!! It's a beautiful state with a lot to offer, from mountains to piedmont to sandhills to Outer Banks!

And plenty of hurricanes for adventure!

Although you probably could stay at home and find some great deals, High Point, NC is quoted as being "the furniture capital of the world". I think that it's true. I suggest going shopping in April or October just after the furniture market, high point stores usually have great sales going on then. Visit the many stores located off Main Street like the Atrium(and the hole in the walls), there are a lot of discount houses around there. There are also two large showrooms a little further down in high point:Furniture Land South is a huge store with everything you could desire (all big namebrands), they also have a discount wharehouse which has a lot of good prices, and there's also a large showroom just across the street (cant remember name but you cant miss it). If you plan on coming for a long weekend, I dont think it will be a waste of time. There is a Radisson Hotel in the heart of High Point which looks pretty nice.

The best advice I can give you is: Leave your husband at home! I agree with other posters comments about getting almost the same price at your local stores during a sale BUT, there's no way your local stores can carry the selection that you'll find in NC. I went to Furniture Land South (Jamestown, NC, just a few miles from High Point) a month ago and found everything I wanted. They have over 800,000 square feet of furniture, rugs, accessories, etc. I went because of choice not price and was very pleased.