We were lucky to catch up with Kim McRee recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kim, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

We are furniture manufacturer that has been building for retail stores for over 60 years. Two years ago we started an online brand called Mantle Furniture. Now we sell directly to consumers so they are buying a quality piece of furniture directly from our factory.

Kim, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

We are a 60+ year old family owned and operated furniture manufacturer in the small town of Maiden NC. I, along with my siblings, am part of the 3rd generation Parker family running the company. My son, son-in-law, and nephew are apart of the 4th generation that is involved in the business today. We build quality, eight-way hand tied, upholstered furniture at a value price and sell to retail stores. That has been our motto since 1962 when our grandparents started Temple Furniture. In 1990, our sister company, Parker Southern, started by building accent pieces to accompany our sofas and sectionals. As the pandemic hit and the economy shifted, more people were buying furniture online. That opened doors for us to launch Mantle Furniture selling directly to end consumers which has proven to be a good decision for the Parker Brands. Mantle sells different styles and fabrics so we are not in competition with our retail stores that we sell to.

Can you talk to us about manufacturing? How’d you figure it all out? We’d love to hear the story.

Our family has been in the furniture business for six decades. We got our start by building for eCommerce companies and were purely B2B until 2020, when we realized that we were missing an opportunity to connect directly with customers.

In 2021, we officially launched Mantle Furniture, our Direct-to-Consumer brand focusing on comfortable, luxury furniture that is customizable. The reception has been incredible. We’ve found that our buyers are so accustomed to online shopping that they’re willing to purchase high-quality, investment pieces that are the staple of our brand, just as they would clothes. We pride ourselves on great customer service and communication, so I think that helps make people comfortable shopping with us.

We haven’t been without challenges, though. Like I said before, we have been manufacturing for years but for other companies; we didn’t have to deal with things like fulfillment, shipping and logistics. That’s been a learning curve for us, as well as eCommerce factors like taxes, fees, etc. We’ve been really fortunate to have great guidance from folks who are experts in the field and have a really strong team internally to help us learn and grow.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Our 60-year legacy in furniture has been critical to building Mantle’s reputation. With a deep understanding of the industry and customer, we were able to deliver high-quality products and exceptional service at launch.

One of the key factors that has contributed to our growth is our ability to offer customization. We understand that every individual has unique preferences and requirements when it comes to furniture, and we take pride in our ability to cater to those needs. Our website is user-friendly, and customers appreciate the flexibility to create pieces that perfectly align with their style, space, and personal taste.

We have also been fortunate to work with an outstanding marketing company that has helped us in building an active and engaging presence on social media, continually sharing our passion for craftsmanship and personalized furniture solutions with our valued customers and beyond.

We remain committed to providing exceptional service and empowering our customers to bring their home design visions to life.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mantlefurniture.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/mantlefurniture
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/mantlefurniture
• Other: Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/mantlefurniture