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Focus Carlsbad Spring 2023 | Business Spotlight

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301 S. Canyon Street
www.skeenfurniturecarlsbad.com

(575) 887-1106
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Interview with Stacey Cooper of Skeen Furniture Company

Give us a brief summary of the type of work you do or service you provide.

For almost 87 years, Skeen Furniture has provided quality home furnishings to Southeastern New Mexico. The retail furniture industry is always changing. We strive to offer the latest in home fashions for every budget and style. “Value and Service since 1935” has always been our mission.

How long have you been in business? Please share a brief history.

Skeen Furniture is one of the oldest businesses in Southeastern New Mexico. It began with my great grandparents, Ivan and Elizabeth Skeen, who opened a small furniture store at 321 S. Canyon. Things were much different then. Used furniture was easier to acquire. Later their son, Kelly Skeen, (my grandfather) purchased the old Sears building (now 301 S. Canyon) in the early 1970s. He expanded the family business, offering the latest brands. Skeen Furniture was the first LA-Z-BOY dealer in New Mexico. He brought brands to Carlsbad that most would only find in larger cities. “Value and Service” continued to be the focus of the store. After his passing, Martha Skeen (my grandmother) and later Curtis Skeen (my father) continued the business. While lots has changed in the furniture business, we continue to offer the latest brands, quality, and service that you do not find in stores today. It is very important to us that every customer who walks in the doors has a pleasant experience, feels at home, and finds the price and quality they are looking to buy.

What makes your business unique?

We offer a wide variety of brands and quality for every budget. We have stayed consistent, in offering value pricing over the years. We want customers to be inspired when they shop with us whether they are looking for a lamp, a rug, or a bedroom group.

What aspect of this business are you most passionate about?

Since I was a young girl, I was always intrigued by colors, design, and aesthetics. I graduated from Texas Tech University with a degree in Interior Design. After college I worked at a large retail furniture store in Dallas. It was a great experience. I love to walk into a space that has the design elements that work together. From good lighting, the right paint color to the furniture that represents the customers’ style, aesthetics plays an important part in a person’s mood and mental health. This quote sums up my feelings regarding my business: “The human mind and body are interconnected and can be affected by many things, including the environment you live in. A peaceful and visually appealing home setting can create a greater sense of wellbeing than a cluttered, chaotic home. Even the color of your walls and furnishings can affect your mental health. Studies have found that color can affect a person’s mood, behavior, and even cognitive function.” (https://www.kolmac.com/how-your-home-environment-affects-your-mental-health/)

I moved back to Carlsbad 12 years ago to help my father, Curtis Skeen and Grandmother Martha Skeen run the business. Aside from my passion about design, I have learned so much about running a business from my dad and my grandmother. They were two of the smartest people I knew.

How do you stay involved in the community?

When I moved back to Carlsbad, I quickly became involved in Carlsbad Rotary Club. It is a service organization giving back to the community in many ways. My grandfather, Kelly, was also very active in the Carlsbad Rotary Club years ago. It is such a great organization. One of the things we do is raise money to give out scholarships to local graduating seniors every year. It is an important part of my week to gather with other businesses in the community.

We also like to help local organizations such as baseball leagues, school choirs and band, in addition to sports and youth programs.

Tell us what makes your business unique compared to others in the same industry.

We merchandise the store in a setting to help the customer visualize it as if it were in their home. Our trained salespeople are here to educate the customer on the quality and assist them in finding the perfect piece. We want to help the customer figure out what will work in their home. We are not here to just take orders. We want our customer to walk away with confidence in what they purchased and with a smile.

We also offer a wide variety of home goods. Our showroom is about 40,000 sq ft. From furniture, mattresses, in stock carpet, to lots of accessories, lamps, art and rugs, every year we turn the upstairs accessory shoppe into a Christmas Shoppe. People come from surrounding cities to browse and buy. We are proud of the name brands we carry Sealy, Stearns and Foster, Hooker Furniture, Flexsteel, and Mayo to name a few.

Our value and service are unmatched. We do not price items high, only to offer deep discounts. Whether you want to spend $100 or $5000, you will get our best price upfront.

We also sell off the floor. If you see something you like, we can deliver it to you—in most cases—same day or next day.

Please, feel free to share any other info you would like to communicate to your community and customers!

On behalf of the Skeen Family and staff, we appreciate all the support and loyalty our customers have given us over the years. I love to hear the stories from customers that they bought their furniture from Kelly, Martha, or Curtis and they are back 20 years later to update. We sure appreciate that. Come by and see us often! Our floor changes all the time.

Interview originally published in Focus on Carlsbad 2023 Spring edition.

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