Couple’s goal: best price for their customers
By Brandon Borders


A business that started as a result of downsizing is now upsizing.

Owner Linda Klotz of Linda Lou’s Furniture, a secondhand store located on Wells Street, opened a second store Jan. 2. The new store, on the northwest corner of Clinton Street and State Boulevard, sells all new furniture, while the Wells Street store continues to buy and sell new and used furniture.

Both stores can order new furniture from catalogs.

Customers walking through the new store will find wood beds and bunk beds, futons, tables, mattresses and other bedding items. Customers of the Wells Street store will see similar furniture plus leather and cloth couches, various armoires and other items. Most used furniture appeared like new or lightly used.

Despite the lack of advertising, the new store has seen an increase in business. According to a Clinton Street employee, word-of-mouth and visibility have brought more customers into the store.

The concept of Linda Lou’s Furniture came when Klotz’s husband, Dave, was downsized from International Harvester in the early 1980s.

The Klotzes took the opportunity to create a business that would, “…help those who are starting out, or for those who went through downsizing,” Linda Klotz said.

They started by collecting furniture in their garage, and then renting the building, which they now own, on Wells Street.

Now that their second store is open, their goal remains the same, said Linda: to “get customers the best price and the best furniture.”