TAKE A SEAT. Economy Furniture has been serving Chippewa Falls for 75 years. The shop’s current owner, former manager Dave Lofquist, purchased the store in 2011. Lofquist has worked in furniture since high school.

The most important thing to consider when purchasing new furniture is how it feels, according to Dave Lofquist, owner of Economy Furniture. He explained with skepticism that the item of furniture most commonly purchased online is the mattress, which people should have a chance to sink into before buying.

“You can’t experience this,” he said, activating the electric reclining system in the leather sofa he was sitting on, “online.” he finished from his reclining position.

Economy Furniture has been giving Chippewa Valley residents the opportunity to shop with their senses for 67 years from their current Chippewa Falls location and 75 years in total. Buster Pregent opened it under the name Pregent’s Furniture on Spring Street in Chippewa Falls in 1942.

Lofquist purchased the Chippewa Falls store – now located at 16051 Country Highway J – in 2011 after managing the store for five years. Becoming a business owner didn’t happen overnight, he said. He began working in the furniture business when he was a 17-year-old high school student. Then, he built and delivered furniture. Eventually he progressed to selling, then managing. When Buster’s son, Steve Pregent, was ready to retire, Lofquist took the wheel.

The oldest of his three children, Jacob Lofquist, followed a similar path. After working in assembly and delivery during high school, he pursued an economics degree and returned to Economy Furniture to manage the books and payroll. Father and son expanded the business this year by opening a second store at 2118 19th St. in Rice Lake on Oct. 1. Jacob manages the new site, while Dave handles the original store.

Customers from the original store on Spring Street, or their children, occasionally stop by the Chippewa Falls site. Dave gets to watch families grow up from his vantage as a customer servant. People who were once 10-year-olds in tow during their parents’ furniture search now come in with their own children. “When they’re buying furniture, it’s time to retire,” he joked.

“I’ve got the best sales staff I’ve ever had in 38 years of business right now,” Dave said. That’s one of the ways he draws in generations of clientele. He spoke of the competency of his delivery staff and the friendly, approachable manner of the sales team. Economy Furniture has had seven record sales years in a row, which he attributes largely to their customer service.

“We let you land,” he said, explaining how his staff is ready with a wealth of product knowledge, but allows customers to look around and get comfortable before approaching to assist.

Economy Furniture has products at many price points, and takes pride in starting its merchandise at reasonable prices. Larger chain stores are likely to mark up products significantly and then tempt customers with sales, according to Dave. He makes sure that the original price is fair for the customer and the business.

One of the other advantages of shopping at this local store is that the majority of the inventory can be taken home immediately. Larger chains often keep only the showroom pieces in-store, meaning that customers must wait after a purchase for their new furniture to arrive from a distribution center. Meanwhile, at Economy Furniture, “nothing is ‘nailed to the floor,’ ” Dave said, so even if the showroom pieces are the only ones in stock, he is happy to let customers take it home – or have it delivered.

“Just because you turn the key at 5:30 doesn’t mean you’re done,” Dave said. During a recent vacation, he was still checking in and responding to customers’ Facebook messages. He emphasized the importance of being “always on” as a business owner to ensure that a customer’s every need is attended to.

When Dave is ready to retire, he plans on selling the Chippewa Falls location and his share in the Rice Lake store to Jacob. He works every day to improve the business, so that it is at its best for his son, and for the community it serves. “It’s almost like a farm,” he said. “You just want to see it grow.”