NORTHOME FURNITURE

NORTHOME FURNITURE. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota since 1901, Northome specialized in the construction of upholstered furniture and the construction of Flexsteel springs which were widely used in furniture and railroad seating. In 1935 these springs had recently been installed in "The Hiawatha," a ultra-modern streamlined train of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Ralroad. Upholstered chairs and davenports manufactured by Northome were distributed through Iowa, Minnesota, the Dakotas, Montana, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri Kansas and Nebraska. Herbert T. BERSCH was the president of Northome Furniture Industries, Inc. and Fred Gregory was the superintendent of the Dubuque plant. Sales offices and display rooms were located in Minneapolis and Chicago.

In 1936 Northome was the first company convinced by the Dubuque Chamber of Commerce to locate in the Brunswick Industrial Block, the former location of BRUNSWICK-BALKE-COLLENDER COMPANY.

The new industry in Dubuque had four separate manufacturing departments, a shipping department and the company's general offices. Frames for the furniture were manufactured in the woodworking department and then passed to another department for finishing. Fabrics were curt and sewed in the cutting and sewing department with the final stage being the upholstering department. Wood was shipped to Dubuque fro the South with the exception of local walnut. Fabrics were obtained in Philadelphia; spring materials came from Chicago.

Some skilled labor was brought to Dubuque. The company's policy, however, was to employ "green" or unskilled labor in the first year of operations. Within the first year, the company planned to have between 100 and 125 employees.

Northome was soon renamed FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC..

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Source:

"Furniture is Being Made at Brunswick," Telegraph-Herald, December 4, 1936, p. 1