Name | Carey/Cary COKER [1] | |
Gender | Male | |
HIST | Nu-Idea nothing new to Sumter NICK McCORMAC / THE ITEM Nu-Idea nothing new to Sumter Nu-Idea President Steve Bond works at his desk, which is one of the many kinds the company helps distribute. In 1988, Bond and a group of investors bought most of the company from the family of founder Roy Tucker, and he has worked for there ever since. Posted: Sunday, October 30, 2011 6:00 am | Updated: 2:16 pm, Fri Oct 28, 2011. BY NICK McCORMAC nmccormac@theitem.com During the span of nearly the past century, the Nu-Idea furniture distributor at 230 E. Liberty St. has withstood the test of time, the rise of big box stores and the commoditization of the products it distributes to remain an original and thriving business in Sumter. And, chances are, you've probably never heard of them. That doesn't seem to concern the staff of the store, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. To them, their salesmanship does all the talking. Founded as Nu-Idea School Supply Co. in 1921 by Roy Tucker, the company specialized in wooden desks sold to local schools. The desks consisted of a seat made of wooden beams with a flat desk with an inkwell attached to the back. The chairs would be lined up and students would use the desk attached to the chair in front of them. It was a new idea for school desks at the time, hence the name of the company. During the Great Depression, the company shifted from manufacturing to acting as a middle man and representing other manufacturers, namely those providing furniture to schools and churches. That shift helped the company grow, said President Steve Bond, to the point where they now provide furniture to a vast majority of the South Carolina schools. "The fact the shift was made from manufacturing to distributing allowed the company to meet virtually all the needs of the clients," Bond said. "It made the company more flexible. We could still provide schools with what they needed, but as technologies evolved, we could pick up on them quicker." Bond was part of a group of men who bought a controlling stake of the company from Tucker's daughters in 1988. Since then, the company has left the family's hands, but what remains is one of Tucker's basic tenants of business: always putting the customer first. "There are a lot of companies that sell furniture, but the niche we have created appreciates us for being there from start to finish," said Bond. "We've perfected that part of the business, and it gives us the competitive advantage." Nu-Idea's 12 full-time employees help see the ordering, shipping and delivery process from start to finish. They work with schools across the entire state to find what kind of desks or other furniture works best for them and see the process through to the point of unloading the furniture off delivery trucks at the schools. The business usually hires an additional 15 to 20 part-time workers during June, July and August, when most schools request to have their furniture delivered. While furniture became a commodity and big box retail stores began to thrive during the 1990s, Nu-Idea fought the urge to join in with bigger companies and continue their focus on service with a smile. It's paid off. Today, Nu-Idea distributes products from about 300 manufacturing companies around the world. They cover the entire state, but what's most impressive to Vice President of Sales Carey Coker is the company's market share. "We distribute to about 75 percent of schools in the state," said Coker. "We've grown to have their trust. Folks want something collaborative and diverse. We offer that while a lot of competitors don't." That doesn't mean the company is not immune to the health of the economy at large. It's hard to see the differences between true changes and simple transitional periods, said Bond, but the company's ability to expand and contract based on demand has allowed it to stay healthy. The little things help too, said Operations Manager Curt Richburg. "When you call us, you actually get to talk to a human. Little things like that are really appreciated when you're trying to do business," he said. Because Nu-Idea relies on good word of mouth from its customers - so much so that the company gives new customers a book of current clients to contact - that retaining those good relationships is paramount. That focus has served the company well during the past nine decades. While it's shifted its focus on products, its maintained its focus on personability. Whether they'll be around for another 90 years, Bond can't say, but he thinks the company's attitude will keep the company going strong for years to come. Even if no one knows who they are, he said. "I'd honestly be more surprised if people have heard of us than if they haven't," he said. "I think we're doing pretty well for a company no one knew was here." Reach Nick McCormac at (803) 774-1214. Posted in Business on Sunday, October 30, 2011 [1] | |
_UID | 214F774C420D4CAE9C32651B2CCFB9FE7C7C | |
Person ID | I271568 | Singleton and other families |
Last Modified | 31 Oct 2011 |
Father | COKER | |
_UID | DBC803BD307E4A40945367B64EC22F2A08DC | |
Family ID | F182726 | Group Sheet | Family Chart |
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