Granite closing Orem store

OREM — In 1910, Willard B. Richards Jr. didn't have the $1,000 necessary to join a group of men in their quest to establish a Granite Furniture Co.

So Richards offered his plow, a scraper and a few teams of horses for the construction of a Sugar House store, which measured 66 feet by 50 feet at the time. That contribution got Richards a place within the company, which continued to grow and eventually came under his sole management.

Some 93 years later, Richards' heirs continue the Granite Furniture legacy, which has moved beyond the realm of horse-drawn deliveries and wooden tables. Today, the company offers couches in every color of the rainbow.

But they don't have the financial backing of competitor RC Willey.

And, as of April 2004, Granite won't have an Orem store — thus losing its presence in Utah County.

"The Richards family has been here for a long time, and they are committed to being in the furniture business for a long time," explained Granite interim CEO Jim Taggart, who was hired last May to "re-invent the company in terms of advertising and strategic marketing programs."

In an exclusive interview Thursday with the Deseret Morning News and KSL-TV, Taggart explained Granite's decision to refocus its sales goals, target a niche market and give rival RC Willey a run for its money.

"This was not an easy decision for (the Richardses), but I think it's the right one," Taggart said. "The exit here gives us an opportunity to really reinvigorate the company so that we can invest in the other locations."

Taggart said the Orem store's mediocre financial performance over the past few years and a lucrative offer for the building space helped sway the company to leave Utah County. Los Angeles-based B.H. Properties purchased the building and plans to divide it into several stores that will be leased for retail use — a plan that may bring more jobs to Orem despite Granite's loss.

The 30 employees affected by the Orem closure will be offered employment at Granite stores in West Jordan, Layton and Sugar House. Until April, however, the store will operate as usual, though liquidation prices will sweeten the deal for local consumers.

"Utah County is much more price-driven than what I call value-driven," Taggart said. "Value-driven incorporates price, delivery, customer service, warranties and product lines."

One of Granite's newer stores, the Orem building was purchased after a Provo showroom, which had been operating since the 1950s, was sold to make room for an expanding Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. Coincidentally, the Orem location landed across the street from rival RC Willey.