By TAMI K. PHILLIPS, Times Staff Writer
FOREST–Moncrief Furniture has recently expanded to offer more space and a better shopping experience for customers.

Business owner Bingham Moncrief purchased a building adjacent to Moncrief Furniture on First Street and added approximately 1,800 square feet to the existing business.

The building previously housed Wanda’s Cut N Stuff.

The expansion allowed Moncrief Furniture to add a dining section to the business. Moncrief said a lot of work was required to get the new area ready for showcasing. A new roof had to be put in as well as a new storefront.

“It had to be rebuilt totally,” he said.

But Moncrief says it was worth the effort as many customers have stopped in to browse after noticing the new addition.

“People driving by have noticed it,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of good compliments on it. It gives us more room to be able to show more furniture.”

The expansion was completed about a month ago. A variety of dining room suits and accessories are now housed in the roomy expansion for convenient customer browsing.

In all, Moncrief Furniture includes over 16,000 square feet of furniture, including dining, bedroom, mattresses and living room.

The business currently has in inventory over 100 recliners to fit any size person in a variety of colors.

Moncrief Furniture has been in business since 1992 when Moncrief purchased the business from Jim’s Furniture.

Forest has had a furniture store since the mid-1950s when Stegall Furniture was in business. The store changed hands through the years before Moncrief purchased it in 1992.

Moncrief later purchased Forest Furniture in 2004 and combined it with Moncrief Furniture.

Over the years, the business has strived to keep customers shopping locally with “low prices” and “friendly, hometown service.”

“Our goal is to have better prices than anybody around,” Moncrief said. “We’ve got good prices and a good selection of furniture.”