When Minden’s Riverview Furniture first opened its doors, it was the year Bill Murray starred in the movie Meatballs, filmed at Camp White Pine in Haliburton County
Much has changed in the intervening 45 years as owners Derrick and Craig Box celebrate another business milestone.
They started working out of a tiny 400 sq. ft. building in 1979, that over the years has grown into more than 7,000 sq. ft. of space; their main store has three levels featuring handcrafted custom wood, leather and upholstered furniture, as well as blinds, appliances, and flooring. Their Cabin Country next door, is dedicated to custom bedroom suites, bunk beds and mattresses.
Derrick credits their ongoing success to, “carrying the product that the market bears at that particular time.”
He said when they started out, nobody wanted to spend money on their cottages, so they sourced cheap furniture. Customers raised their expectations but the overseas market was huge so they outsourced – along with the rest of the world. But Derrick said it didn’t take long for problems to arise, and call-backs.
“It was junk so we went back to Canadian. It was rough for a couple of years because people didn’t want to spend $2,000 on something they could buy for $600 from overseas. We really just evolved and watched what people were buying and just made sure we had the right things at the right price and have always carried quality
without making gigantic mark-up on it.”
The store is known for its custom wood products, sourced in Ontario. They sell over 90 per cent all-Canadian
made products designed to last.
Derrick said they have also always strived for decent customer service. “Make sure the people are happy, then they come back, tell their neighbours. We’re at the point now we’re so busy.”
Changes
Cottaging has also changed dramatically, Derrick said. It used to be 60 per cent of cottagers shut down after Labour Day, and another 25 per cent after Thanksgiving. Few came over winter and they were not buying furniture.
Now, he said nearly every cottage road and driveway is ploughed in winter “and cottages aren’t cottages
anymore.” He said many customers have nicer cottages than homes in the city.
“We did all of our business virtually between May 24 and Labour Day (at the start). If we didn’t make it in those
months, we were sunk. By the time May came again we were crawling up the walls, trying to get by to make a go
again. But now it’s more allyear, we don’t slow down. We’re still busy in July and August but we’re always going.”
“We did all of our business virtually between May 24 and Labour Day (at the start).If we didn’t make it in those
months, we were sunk. By the time May came again we were crawling up the walls, trying to get by to make a go
again. But now it’s more all-year, we don’t slow down. We’re still busy in July and August but we’re always going.”
They have consistently been open seven days a week and if someone comes at closing, don’t chase them off.
“Last night, I was locking up, and saw a car drive by, and someone got out. They came to the door. I unlocked it. They came in and bought a bed. A lot of places don’t do that. They say, ‘I’ve had enough today, I’m going
home’.”
Asked about working with a brother all these years, Derrick jokes, “we’ve never come to fisticuffs but we’ve had some times.” He said they’d both learned to “go with the flow” and it works out well. He adds they are opposites and bring different strengths to the business. And one of them is almost always in the store for those customers who want to talk to the owner. In their absence, Haley Lynch is there to competently pick up the slack.
Reflecting back on 1978, Derrick said, “we left Scarborough and wanted to be up north. What a place to bring up kids.” They love the outdoors, and have never looked back.
Reflecting back on 1978, Derrick said, “we left Scarborough and wanted to be up north. What a place to bring up kids.” They love the outdoors, and have never looked back.
As to the future, “we’re probably ‘work until we die’ people… I love to travel, spend a lot of money on things, to do that you can’t retire and live on a fixed income, and we both still enjoy working.”
Is he proud? “I’m not a look at me, guy. I’m a don’t look at me guy. It’s what it is. It’s a lot of hard work and there’s been a lot of years where we have thought we might not be here for the next year but you just keep
plugging away.”
Riverview Furniture is at 94 Bobcaygeon Rd., Minden, 705-286-3167, info@ riverview-furniture.com or go to riverview-furniture.com
