MacKenzie-Dow Fine Furniture creates high-end furnishings in the heart of Huntington.
By Kaylin Adkins
HQ 79 | AUTUMN 2012
Tucked in the middle of Hal Greer Boulevard sits a gray building many pass every day. While it may seem like a run-of-the-mill building in downtown Huntington, the façade does not tell its whole story.
Inside, local workers produce high-end 17th- and 18th-century European-style furniture, including dining tables, buffets, beds and much more. These items are constructed of American-made materials, specifically wild black cherry wood from America’s Appalachian forests.
MacKenzie-Dow Fine Furniture is a true Huntington gem and may be one of the city’s best-kept secrets.
It all started in 2001, with a furniture show and an overarching dream. Gary Adams, president of MacKenzie-Dow Fine Furniture, purchased the parent company, National Wood Products, in 1987. The company manufactured kitchen cabinet components.
Then, in 2001, Don Ozmar, a former sales representative for Lexington Furniture Industries, asked Gary to spearhead an antique-furniture operation based in West Virginia. Gary took a few pieces to the High Point Furniture Market in North Carolina – and the rest is history.
More than 3,000 exhibitors and 45,000 buyers visit the High Point Furniture Market twice a year in the spring and fall. In April 2002, Gary exhibited MacKenzie-Dow furniture for the first time at High Point, offering these handcrafted furnishings to furniture galleries around the world. He merged his two companies soon thereafter.
In January 2004, Gary’s son Bonner joined the MacKenzie-Dow team as controller. Although the company was steadily growing, Gary and Bonner Adams still faced obstacles during the first few years, including recessions and other companies outsourcing their production overseas.
“We were really going against the grain with MacKenzie-Dow,” Gary said. “I went to Vietnam and China three times apiece and looked at possibly producing some furniture over there. For a time, we did import some chair frames from China through some American import companies; but as soon as we saw the quality slide, we got away from doing that. A lot goes into a piece of furniture. One of the first barriers we encountered was not having a catalog with suitable photography to show people our wares. Our first catalogs were printed on our Inkjet printers.”
But through it all, MacKenzie-Dow’s mission has remained the same.
“Our mission is to make people’s homes more comfortable, and we want our products to be heirloom in nature,” Gary said. “These furnishings serve generations – not just a few years. They are investment pieces. We’ve always tried to build the best quality we can.”
MacKenzie-Dow has grown exponentially to keep up with supply and demand in 48 states and several provinces in Canada. In addition to its production factory in Huntington, it maintains a showroom in High Point, N.C. Its 350 clients include retailers, interior designers, country clubs and restaurants around the globe.
MacKenzie-Dow’s pieces are featured at The Greenbrier; the company’s retail shop is located in the Art Colony, which showcases skilled artisans working with metals, leather, brass, wood, glass and pottery. In some cases, even celebrities have jumped on the MacKenzie-Dow bandwagon, such as Rachael Ray, the late Elizabeth Edwards, Professional Golf Association of America’s players and a lead singer for a rock band.
“The furniture has a certain look – rustic and refined,” said Paul Dau, owner of Dau Furnishings in St. Louis, M.O., and a client of MacKenzie-Dow. “They have an extraordinary and well-crafted product that has a casual feel. They also help us with whatever we need and are open to suggestions with any issues that arise.”
Popular products include the barley twist bed, the draw leaf refectory table and the Brighton buffet. The company’s most popular finish is wheatland. All items can be customized to clients’ likings; in fact, approximately one-third of the furniture created is customized.
“Customization was one of the key things that helped us weather the depths of the recession and helped us make a name for ourselves,” Bonner said.
Twenty-nine plant floor employees and six customer service representatives and managers comprise the MacKenzie-Dow team. Sixteen independent sales representatives market the furniture in the United States and Canada.
When a purchase order is received, the production team uses work orders to collect furniture components from the rough mill. Raw lumber is selected based on quality and finish, and Bonner Adams said the knots in the wood are kept because they give the final products character.
The team then uses the parts list to construct the item. Once it is constructed, the furniture is hand-sanded and taken to the finishing room, where one of four stain finishes is applied. The process is made up of 13 to 15 steps and takes 24 to 48 hours to complete. Next, the quality control team checks for finish consistency and specifications. The team puts on hardware, rubs a wax finish on the piece by hand and boxes it up to deliver to the client.
“A lot of our customers are like family to us, and we are to them as well,” Gary said. “They appreciate that.”
MacKenzie-Dow has won several awards, including the Build it in America Award from the MADE: In America Foundation in Washington, D.C. The company has also won the admiration of respected names in the furniture-making business.
“It’s satisfying to have people who have been in the business for multiple generations come and tell you that you build a great product,” Bonner said.
Although the company sells its wares worldwide, there is only one place the production factory will always call home.
“When the parent company was purchased in 1987, I just always felt an affinity for keeping the business here, even as it grew,” Gary said. “We’re proud that it’s from Huntington and West Virginia. We’re one of only two furniture manufacturers in West Virginia to show works at High Point Furniture Market. We’re making products that people love, and they’re coming out of Huntington, W.Va. That just makes it even more special to me.”
Visit www.mackenziedow.com for more information or to view MacKenzie-Dow’s new products and collections.
