Published: Friday, March 22, 2013 at 11:48 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, March 22, 2013 at 7:22 p.m.

Home sales are, in some respects, hotter than ever: Supply is down, prices are edging up and builders are building again.

But less noticed is the resurgence of furniture retailers in Southwest Florida, whose showrooms fill most of the houses that get sold.

As both sectors rebound, consumer demand for couches, kitchen fare and patio sets is being filled by a few new names and a familiar old one — Robb & Stucky.

In all, Southwest Florida furniture merchants sold $41.67 million worth of home furnishings in December, according to the most recent data available. That’s 15 percent higher than December 2011, and larger than any month since the onset of the Great Recession and the region’s housing collapse in 2007.

But the December tally, while punctuating a trend, is hardly a new phenomenon. Rather, it is a testament to how far the region has come since the depths of the downturn. In December 2012, sales were already up 32 percent from the same month in 2009, according to business tax receipts filed with the Florida Department of Revenue.

“Consumer confidence, the job market and the performance of the stock market all affect our sales, but the most important factor is the real estate market,” said Steve Lush, president of Robb & Stucky International Inc.

“Once houses start selling and new housing projects go up, people start coming in with floor plans, ready to buy new furniture,” said Lush, whose chain is preparing to reopen a store it operated on South Tamiami Trail that closed amid the downturn.

A retailer’s return

The Robb & Stucky story is emblematic of the arc most furniture retailers have endured over the past decade.

In 2006, the chain was among the top sellers in Southwest Florida, even though its trendy designer furniture cost more than many other outlets’ offerings.

By 2009, though, Robb & Stucky ran aground, sunk by sluggish home sales and consumer concerns about big-ticket items. Two years later, amid a corporate bankruptcy filing, the 80-year-old chain abandoned its stores, including its location in Sarasota.

Later this year, the chain plans to return to the same 70,000-square-foot showroom, with a renovated building and a new — less-expensive — line.

It isn’t the only new player to the market.

Ashley Furniture is set to open its first Southwest Florida store this year, in the Shoppes at University Center off University Parkway, in Manatee County. Ashley’s free-standing, 40,000-square-foot building is under construction.

The key driver

That may be no coincidence: Furniture industry participants say there is evidence that this region is experiencing a greater spike than elsewhere in the state.

Kent Haas, manager at the Baer’s Furniture on Clark Road in Sarasota, said sales have been up at all 16 Florida stores, but they are booming at the chain’s 83,000-square-foot location on Clark.

“We’ve seen double-digit growth over the past three years, which we have not seen for a while,” Haas said.

Although that growth has not hit pre-recession levels, Haas is hopeful that the market rebound will continue.

By comparison, in healthy economic years, economists expect sales in most categories to rise 2 percent to 5 percent, accounting for inflation, population increases and some true gains.

Without question, housing remains the key driver for this furniture industry renaissance.

“In areas like Sarasota, where the market is recovering, we are starting some improvements with some of these businesses,” said Jack McCabe, a real estate consultant in Deerfield Beach.

The decline in furniture sales had represented one of the first signals that the real estate market was sinking. Now, McCabe and others believe those sales are demonstrating a sustained recovery, with steady demand a sign of a market on the upswing.

At Kane’s Furniture in Sarasota, there has been 20 percent growth year over year since 2009, said owner Edward Kalin.

The store outfits model homes for several builders in the Venice, Sarasota and Bradenton markets, Kalin said, and managers have recently seen a strong uptick in the number of homes being built.

“Model homes make up about 20 percent of our business,” Kalin said. “We lease them for several months and build loyal relationships with the builders in our region.”

Home sales in Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties last year rose 19 percent, the fourth-highest mark on record.

That has pushed the median sales price for homes in the area up $21,800 during the past year, according to data from Realtors.

Following the Dow

HomeResource, an upscale furniture boutique in downtown Sarasota, saw the strongest year in its 18-year history in 2011, said owner Michael Bush.

Bush contends that there is a factor that affects furniture sales even more than the housing market.

“The stock market has affected our business more,” Bush said. “Our clients came back quickly when the Dow went back up.”

Recent stock market gains — the Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 14,500 for the first time in its history in early March — and a brightening job outlook also have given consumers the confidence to buy furniture, said Gary Jackson, an economist at Florida Gulf Coast University.

“Usually when the economy goes into recession, people are making less money so they pull back on durable goods,” Jackson said.

“These new furniture stores are a good sign,” he said.

“It’s an indication people feel better about their position, and they’re buying these items that were put on hold.”

<p>Home sales are, in some respects, hotter than ever: Supply is down, prices are edging up and builders are building again. </p><p>But less noticed is the resurgence of furniture retailers in Southwest Florida, whose showrooms fill most of the houses that get sold.</p><p>As both sectors rebound, consumer demand for couches, kitchen fare and patio sets is being filled by a few new names and a familiar old one — Robb & Stucky.</p><p>In all, Southwest Florida furniture merchants sold $41.67 million worth of home furnishings in December, according to the most recent data available. That's 15 percent higher than December 2011, and larger than any month since the onset of the Great Recession and the region's housing collapse in 2007.</p><p>But the December tally, while punctuating a trend, is hardly a new phenomenon. Rather, it is a testament to how far the region has come since the depths of the downturn. In December 2012, sales were already up 32 percent from the same month in 2009, according to business tax receipts filed with the Florida Department of Revenue.</p><p>“Consumer confidence, the job market and the performance of the stock market all affect our sales, but the most important factor is the real estate market,” said Steve Lush, president of Robb & Stucky International Inc.</p><p>“Once houses start selling and new housing projects go up, people start coming in with floor plans, ready to buy new furniture,” said Lush, whose chain is preparing to reopen a store it operated on South Tamiami Trail that closed amid the downturn.</p><p><b>A retailer's return</b></p><p>The Robb & Stucky story is emblematic of the arc most furniture retailers have endured over the past decade. </p><p>In 2006, the chain was among the top sellers in Southwest Florida, even though its trendy designer furniture cost more than many other outlets' offerings.</p><p>By 2009, though, Robb & Stucky ran aground, sunk by sluggish home sales and consumer concerns about big-ticket items. Two years later, amid a corporate bankruptcy filing, the 80-year-old chain abandoned its stores, including its location in Sarasota.</p><p>Later this year, the chain plans to return to the same 70,000-square-foot showroom, with a renovated building and a new — less-expensive — line.</p><p>It isn't the only new player to the market.</p><p>Ashley Furniture is set to open its first Southwest Florida store this year, in the Shoppes at University Center off University Parkway, in Manatee County. Ashley's free-standing, 40,000-square-foot building is under construction.</p><p><b>The key driver</b></p><p>That may be no coincidence: Furniture industry participants say there is evidence that this region is experiencing a greater spike than elsewhere in the state. </p><p>Kent Haas, manager at the Baer's Furniture on Clark Road in Sarasota, said sales have been up at all 16 Florida stores, but they are booming at the chain's 83,000-square-foot location on Clark.</p><p>“We've seen double-digit growth over the past three years, which we have not seen for a while,” Haas said.</p><p>Although that growth has not hit pre-recession levels, Haas is hopeful that the market rebound will continue.</p><p>By comparison, in healthy economic years, economists expect sales in most categories to rise 2 percent to 5 percent, accounting for inflation, population increases and some true gains.</p><p>Without question, housing remains the key driver for this furniture industry renaissance.</p><p>“In areas like Sarasota, where the market is recovering, we are starting some improvements with some of these businesses,” said Jack McCabe, a real estate consultant in Deerfield Beach.</p><p>The decline in furniture sales had represented one of the first signals that the real estate market was sinking. Now, McCabe and others believe those sales are demonstrating a sustained recovery, with steady demand a sign of a market on the upswing.</p><p>At Kane's Furniture in Sarasota, there has been 20 percent growth year over year since 2009, said owner Edward Kalin.</p><p>The store outfits model homes for several builders in the Venice, Sarasota and Bradenton markets, Kalin said, and managers have recently seen a strong uptick in the number of homes being built.</p><p>“Model homes make up about 20 percent of our business,” Kalin said. “We lease them for several months and build loyal relationships with the builders in our region.”</p><p>Home sales in Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties last year rose 19 percent, the fourth-highest mark on record. </p><p>That has pushed the median sales price for homes in the area up $21,800 during the past year, according to data from Realtors.</p><p><b>Following the Dow</b></p><p>HomeResource, an upscale furniture boutique in downtown Sarasota, saw the strongest year in its 18-year history in 2011, said owner Michael Bush. </p><p>Bush contends that there is a factor that affects furniture sales even more than the housing market.</p><p>“The stock market has affected our business more,” Bush said. “Our clients came back quickly when the Dow went back up.”</p><p>Recent stock market gains — the Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 14,500 for the first time in its history in early March — and a brightening job outlook also have given consumers the confidence to buy furniture, said Gary Jackson, an economist at Florida Gulf Coast University.</p><p>“Usually when the economy goes into recession, people are making less money so they pull back on durable goods,” Jackson said. </p><p>“These new furniture stores are a good sign,” he said.</p><p>“It's an indication people feel better about their position, and they're buying these items that were put on hold.”</p>