Thomas Russell
HIGH POINT — With little discussion, the High Point City Council last week agreed to offer La-Z-Boy up to

$600,000 in economic development incentives to move its North Carolina division headquarters to the city.

The money is aimed at attracting the company to an existing building at 4310 Regency Drive. The office is now at 4620 Grandover Parkway in neighboring Greensboro.

If the company accepts the offer, the move would mark a symbolic return of the company to the city limits after a nine-year absence. La-Z-Boy includes some of the original Ladd Furniture companies that were once located in the GE Capital/First Factors building downtown.

They moved to Grandover in 1997, said Steve Kincaid, president of the company’s case goods group. La-Z-Boy placed its divisional headquarters there after acquiring Ladd in 2000.

The office has about 120 employees who work in the divisional offices of Monroe, Mich.-based La-Z-Boy, and for La-Z-Boy case goods companies American Drew, Hammary, Kincaid, Lea and Pennsylvania House.

Kincaid said the La-Z-Boy board likely will decide on the move within two weeks.

At the meeting, he told city council members the move would cost the company about $1.5 million, with about half the expense for setting up information technology gear and other equipment.

Speaking in support of the move was High Point Market Authority President Brian Casey, who said La-Z-Boy and its sister companies are the largest occupier of showroom space in High Point.

“Just the PR value alone of La-Z-Boy coming to High Point and putting a stake in the ground shows this is the home of the home furnishings industry,” Casey said.

Kincaid said the company is a supporter of the High Point Market.

“We have a vested interest in market being here, and bring in a lot of guests for the hotels and restaurants,” he said. “There is a financial impact that goes along with that.”

If the board approves the move, the company would look to be in the new space by early next fall, Kincaid said.