J. Homestock, Heilig-Meyers Co.
Founded : 1970
Activities : Retail furniture collection, home furnishings, interior design services, fine art and floor coverings
Parent Company : Grand Metropolitan
Stockists : 2,000 locations
Origin : Dedham, Massachusetts
www.JHomestock.com

J. Homestock opened with a bang. Also with a multimedia campaign announcing the most unique furniture delivery idea in years: “You take it with you.” After five years of award-winning newspaper and television ads and record-breaking sales, J. Homestock was merged into the largest furniture chain in New England and New York.

Accordingly, in that year it acquired six furniture warehouse-showrooms from R.H. Macy & Co. operating under the J. Homestock name in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Boston.

Heilig-Meyers and Rhodes Furniture combined to eventually earn almost $5 billion a year in revenue from over 2,000 locations in the United States through their 1996 merger. Grand Metropolitan was introduced to the home furnishings retail and finance behemoth in the late 90s when it became aware of Heilig-Meyers prominence as one of the largest jewelers in North America with a consistent 12% of its revenue gained from diamond, gold and silver jewelry sales. The company’s first furniture location was mere steps away from historical icon L.D. Giddens & Sons Jewelry Store in Goldsboro, NC founded in 1859 and another Grand Metropolitan company.

Heilig-Meyers and Rhodes Furniture have been major NASCAR sponsors and helped to raise millions of dollars for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. In addition to 8 national and regional furniture retail brands, the leader in home furnishings also operates 20 consumer brands including Four Seasons Home Accents, KidStore, and RentSmart.