Submitted by Seldens Designer Home Furnishings
Seldens Designer Home Furnishings, an original and premier home furnishings destination, is celebrating their 75th year in business in 2015. This Puget Sound institution has spanned four generations of Selden’s family ownership since its inception in 1940.
Seldens was founded as a floor coverings company in 1940 in Downtown Tacoma by Sydney Selden. Through wartime and economic ups and downs, Seldens has been able to grow with the changing needs of local residents and has become a full-service home furnishings retailer.
“I remember coming to the store as a child. I have fond memories of running around the vast showroom space,” said Scott Selden, current Seldens Home Furnishing President. “We’ve evolved quite a bit since back then. Our extensive designer home furnishing products and our professional interior design team allow us to serve the needs of a wide array of homes and families across the Puget Sound,” he continued.
Stan Selden, second-generation 83-year old chairman of Seldens, has seen the store evolve over the last seventy-five years, but one thing remains the same, he said,“The customer is king. That was my dad’s motto from day one and it is still the guiding principle of our company.” Today Stan is very active giving back to the community working with several local non-profit organizations.
The 80-employee company has seen four generations of Selden’s family management. Current general manager, and the latest generation to join the family business, Jacob Cross, explained some of the nuances of running a family business. “Respect is key. Everyone understands that while you’re at work, the business comes first and we all have to respect each other.” Cross continued, “running a family business takes a lot of patience and comes with a lot of pride. While it’s hard not to take the ups and downs of the business personally, working with my family makes it enjoyable because I have someone in my corner at all times.”
Loni Selden-Cross, third-generation Selden and current vice president/partner, thinks the most important factor of a successful family business is dedication. “As any business owner can tell you, the work never stops. With long hours spent at the store and time off spent with family who may also have a vested interest in the business, we’re always working to create a better experience for the customer,” said Selden-Cross.
In addition to high-end, quality home furnishings, Seldens is also known for making a positive impact in the local community. For the last 30 years the company has made it a priority to be heavily involved in local charities, including sponsoring local high schools and, most recently, partnering with the Northwest Furniture Bank.
“The community has been good to us, and we want to be good to community in return,” said Stan Selden.
The current Seldens operation includes an 80,000-square-foot Seldens Designer Home Furnishings showroom. Adjacent to Seldens is the 65,000 square foot facility home to Bassett Furniture, Seldens Sleep Gallery and the company’s distribution center.
As for the future of the store, the family hopes to be able to pass the legacy business down to future generations. “It’s a very personal relationship that people have with the furniture in their home. It’s a careful, long-lasting decision, and we feel very fortunate to be a part of that,” said Selden.
To learn more about Seldens Designer Home Furnishings, visit them online at seldens.com.
