He’s no La-Z-Boy
Each time a box of new furniture is opened, Steve Hueftle still feels the same excitement he did nearly 40 years ago when he was a 15-year-old working his first job.
Now, as owner of the three La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries in Las Vegas and Henderson, Hueftle said the new styles and colors that are introduced each season makes his job fun and enjoyable. But, he’s equally enthusiastic about helping his customers find that same excitement when they decorate their homes and purchase new furniture.
"It’s a wonderful thing to help people with their homes," he said.
Hueftle said he got hooked on home furnishings when he was in high school in western Nebraska. Like many teenagers, he went looking for a part-time job so he could buy a car. He said he "bugged" the owners of a furniture store to hire him until they finally relented. Although he wasn’t hired to work on the sales floor, he said there were those rare occasions when the staff was so busy he was recruited to help. And it was the sale of a "pretty blue" La-Z-Boy recliner to a farmer that cinched the deal.
He continued working in furniture stores while attending college, where he obtained a degree in chemistry and biology. Hueftle said he taught school for a while and was awaiting to start a new job with a pharmaceutical company in Phoenix when the home-furnishings industry beckoned again. He learned about creating furniture galleries and vignettes while running Freed’s Fine Furnishings, a chain of stores in Arizona. That eventually led him to Las Vegas, where he was offered the opportunity to open a La-Z-Boy Showcase Shoppe featuring the manufacturer’s famous recliners.
After he opened the Las Vegas store, Hueftle was instrumental in changing La-Z-Boy’s retail concept from operating showcase shops that sold recliners and sofa beds to opening furniture galleries that also sold stationary sofas, sectionals, accent furniture and decorative accessories.
"Steve was a pioneer in the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries network, and the leadership and innovation demonstrated by the entire Las Vegas staff has helped our retail stores become what they are today," said Steve Matlock, the newly appointed vice president of retail development and former senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Monroe, Mich.-based manufacturer.
Hueftle said the change seemed like a natural progression to him.
In 1988 when he opened his showcase shop, he recorded the best year in the company’s history for a brand-new store. Since he had already garnered a majority of reclining chair purchases in the valley, he was seeking ways to help his company and gain a greater percentage of sofa sales, which had more potential for growth.
With his background in full-service stores with designers that could help customers decorate and furnish their entire home, he knew that type of operation would present the opportunities he was looking for. Hueftle said he began talking with corporate executives, who decided to let him experiment with the concept. Fortunately, the company’s portfolio included Hammary, a manufacturer of sofas and living room furniture.
So, Hueftle remodeled his East Flamingo location to feature living room galleries complete with vignettes that included recliners, sofas and tables — exactly like area residents would have in their homes.
From there, the concept expanded to galleries for the family room, leather furnishings and, of course, recliners. Today, Matlock said there are 340 furniture galleries stores operating nationwide. Hueftle’s three stores are located at 10012 W. Flamingo Road and 5700 Centennial Center Blvd. in Las Vegas, and 631 Mall Ring Circle in front of the Galleria at Sunset in Henderson.
Even with the success of the gallery concept, Matlock said it is sometimes a challenge for people to think of La-Z-Boy as more than just a place to find a comfortable recliner. Instead, he said they are working to expand on the comfort concept, helping customers find comfort from other furnishings as well as a comfortable shopping experience.
Part of that experience is the selection process, which is made simpler with the help of staff designers in the stores’ design centers. There, customers can select from more than 1,000 fabrics and leathers to create furnishings that suit their needs perfectly.
"In order to make a choice, it helps to have one," Hueftle said, noting that other stores may only offer a particular piece with four or five fabric options.
Part of the process includes using a computerized program that shows exactly how a piece will look with selected fabrics and accent pillows.
Hueftle also launched the company’s in-home design service that lets staff interiors designers consult with customers in their own homes to determine what their furniture and decorating needs are.
During most of his 20 years with La-Z-Boy, Hueftle’s stores have been among the company’s top 10 stores nationwide. He said he is especially proud of his team of staff members, many of whom have been with him for nearly as long as he has been in business.
In addition to helping shape the way La-Z-Boy locations display their furniture, Hueftle has helped Hammary with the design and merchandising of its wares, served on the company’s advisory council, pioneered a computerized merchandise tracking system and hosted national meetings for other franchise owners.
Matlock said Hueftle has been a true pioneer for the company and he has been recognized for his willingness to try new products and concepts.
"He’s very passionate about the furniture industry."
