| Type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retailing |
| Founded | Syracuse, Utah, U.S. (1932) |
| Founder(s) | Rufus Call Willey |
| Headquarters | Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. |
| Area served | Western United States |
| Key people | William H. Child (Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board) Scott Hymas (CEO) Jeff Child (President) Curtis Child (CFO) |
| Products | Furniture Electronics Home Appliances Mattresses Flooring |
| Website | www.rcwilley.com |
RC Willey Home Furnishings (often called just RC Willey) is a home furnishings company with stores in Utah, Idaho, Nevada and California. It was founded by Rufus Calle Willey in 1932 when he started selling Hotpoint Brand appliances door-to-door in Syracuse, Utah. RC Willey is a retail store that sells merchandise in the following categories: furniture, electronics, home appliances, mattresses, flooring, and seasonal merchandise. It is currently owned by Berkshire Hathaway.[1][2]
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What started out as a small family business, has evolved over the years into the largest furniture dealer west of the Mississippi.
RC Willey emerged from a small farming community, Syracuse, Utah in the early 1930s.
Rufus Calle (RC) Willey started selling Hotpoint Brand appliances door-to-door in 1932. Employed by the local electric company, he conducted his small appliance business from the back of his red pick-up truck on the side. To guarantee customer satisfaction while electricity was still so new, Willey would lend out appliances for a week so that people could try them out. He also let them finance the purchases in installments over a three-year period, payable at harvest time. His business continued to grow, and in 1950 he built his first store, right next door to his home in Syracuse.
In 1954, Willey left the company due to terminal cancer. William H. Child, who had married Willey's daughter Darlene three years earlier, took over the business. He, along with his brother Sheldon Child, worked over the next 40 years to grow and expand the business. William Child is credited with adding furniture to the company's appliance offerings. Multiple stores were built along the Wasatch Front, and RC Willey became the most well-known Home Furnishings retailer in the state of Utah.
RC Willey began an important marketing tactic in the early 1980s: giving out free hot dogs to increase traffic. In HFD—The Weekly Home Furnishings Newspaper, company executives credited the chain's success to three factors: an eye for expansion, focus on the middle segment of the market, and dedication to customer satisfaction.
Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., the holding company led by billionaire investment guru Warren Buffet, acquired RC Willey on May 24, 1995. The price was a reported $150 million in stock.
In 1998, RC Willey's South Salt Lake location became the site of a "Whaling Wall" mural by the famous marine artist Wyland.
Chief financial officer Scott L. Hymas, who had been with the company since 1987, succeeded Bill Child as CEO in February 2001. Child remained chairman. At the same time, Bill Child's nephew, Jeffrey S. Child, became the company's president.
Today, RC Willey is still family operated, and has 13 stores[3] located in Utah, Nevada, California, and Idaho. The chain continues to be known for its variety of products, delivery, and in store credit, as well as being closed on Sundays. The company runs frequent promotions and contests, one of the most famous being their free hot dogs on some Saturdays which they call "Free Lunch".[4]
RC Willey carries many popular furniture brands like Broyhill, Flexsteel, Lane, Natuzzi, Bernhardt, La-Z-Boy (Utah Only), Hooker, and Aspen.
In the Home Electronics department they carry a selection of flat panel televisions, DVD players, home stereos, computers, camcorders, etc. Brands include Sony, Samsung, Toshiba, Sharp, LG, Panasonic, and Mitsubishi. Products run from the most-expensive models to budget conscious versions.
RC Willey’s founder, Rufus Call Willey, found his success specializing in home appliances. This tradition continues today. RC Willey’s stores feature a large selection of appliances from General Electric, Whirlpool, LG, Maytag, Electrolux, KitchenAid, Frigidaire, Bosch, Samsung, Fisher & Paykel, Subzero, Wolf, Asko and others.
RC Willey’s mattress department features products from Serta, Spring Air, Simmons and Tempur-Pedic. They offer free pickup of old mattresses with delivery.
RC Willey's selection of floor coverings includes carpet, vinyl, wood, and tile. Most brands are represented, and they offer professional installation. Some of the popular brands are Stainmaster Flooring Centers, Flooring by Armstrong, Mannington Flooring, and Shaw Floors, and Mohawk Flooring
During the summer months RC Willey offers patio and outdoor furniture, as well as some outdoor appliances and tools. In the winter they carry snow blowers.
RC Willey has a professionally trained sales force. They undergo training by product specialists so that they can answer customer questions.[5]
RC Willey owns local distribution warehouses.[6][7][8] The products they offer are almost always stocked in these warehouses. This allows them to deliver the products quickly using their own delivery trucks.
RC Willey has its own financial department; approval is usually instant, and you don't have to deal with any middle men in the equation. They offer several financing plans[9][10] and have their own credit card.
An RC Willey credit card offers these features[9]:
There are several financing plans[25] available at RC Willey. Some are available on purchases over a specified amount. The available financing plans include:
In addition, if the full balance is not paid in full by the due date, the accrued interest will be added to the remaining principal balance and transferred to the customer's Regular Finance Plan (REG). If 2 consecutive payments are missed, accrued interest will be charged from the date of purchase at a rate of 1.75% per month (APR 21%) on the average daily balance, and the entire balance transferred to the REG plan.
An optional loyalty plan is available at RC Willey. Members of RC Willey's Advantage Plan[26] receive the following:
RC Willey claims that charitable giving is an important part of their mission "to become the finest home furnishings company in America." With this mission statement in mind, the management and associates of RC Willey are asked to serve in their communities where they work and live. As RC Willey has evolved as a company, they have participated in consistent, quality philanthropic programs.[27]
In October 2009, RC Willey began to use social networking to communicate with its customers. RC Willey now has its own blog[28] called Room to Talk. The blog features a girl named Andie who grew up in a furniture family and learned the ins and outs of furniture. RC Willey is also on Facebook,[29] Twitter,[30][31][32] and YouTube.[33]