Karges Furniture

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Karges Furniture is a family-owned furniture company originating in Evansville, Indiana.^[1] The company manufactures custom high-end furniture which is sold mostly to designers through wholesale showrooms. After the acquisition of Karges by another luxury furniture maker, Kindel Furniture, all production of Karges was moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan. All of the company's casegoods are now made in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

History[]

In 1886, Albert F. Karges, a first-generation immigrant, invested $600 and began making moderately priced bedroom furniture of solid oak and walnut. At that time, the river port town of Evansville, Indiana was one of the largest hardwood furniture manufacturing centers in the world. Frederick Bockstege was the company president until 1910.^[1][2]

The company prospered through the turn of the century and Albert's son, Edwin F. Karges, Sr., joined the family business after World War I. He had an interest in European designs and traveled extensively in an effort to learn more about the old-world styles. Soon, the Karges line took on a more classic look and began separating itself from its competitors as he began to develop his own ideas.

After World War II, Edwin's son, Edwin F. Karges, Jr., joined the business. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Wood Technology, and his knowledge and skill in wood finishing provided the groundwork for developing the Karges finishing process. Over the years all four of the Karges children have been involved in the business. In the fall on 1982, the company experienced major sales loss and severe layoffs, morale issues and was threatened by a teamster vote. The youngest of the four Karges children, Jeff Karges a psychotherapist living in California, became the new CEO and was able to transform the marketing, products and distribution enough to revive the company and within 8 years, triple the sales. Jeff worked with furniture designer Don Burgess and introduced many products that received international ASID design awards and are still key products today. Likewise, the advertising campaign won a prestigious MPA's Kelly Award alongside American Express and Nikon (Fortune, March 17, 1986, "Advertising So Good We Are Advertising It"). Unfortunately, a family battle ensued in 1990 at which point Joan Karges Rogier came back and worked alongside her father until his passing in 2004.

Karges was acquired by on April 30, 2014.^[3] At the time, Kindel stated it planned to invest in the Karges brand and continue the tradition of craftsmanship carried forth by five generations of Karges family ownership. Gretchen Keith, the great-great-granddaughter of company founder Albert Karges, joined Kindel as vice president of marketing and sales.^[4]

External links[]

• Karges official site

References[]