Walker Furniture marks 58th anniversary

Walker Furniture, Southern Nevada’s oldest and largest furniture dealer, is celebrating the company’s 58th anniversary this month.

Larry Alterwitz, president, said 2013 also marks 40 years that his family has owned and operated the local retail furniture emporium.

Alterwitz recalls that in 1973, his parents, Oscar and Deanne Alterwitz, relocated to Las Vegas from Gary, Ind., where they had owned three retail furniture stores. That summer, the company purchased the original Walker Furniture location on Main Street from founders, George and Ruth Walker. Shortly after, Deanne Alterwitz’s brothers, Leon and Jerry Friedman, relocated from Indiana with their families, to contribute their expertise to the rapid expansion Oscar envisioned for the company.

Subsequently, 11 family members, including Oscar and Deanne’s three children and some of their grandchildren, have held key positions within the company. Many of the current employees have been part of the Walker family for more than 20 years.

“The original store, as purchased by my parents, was basically a small, one-story, mom-and-pop operation downtown, with about 30 employees,” said Larry Alterwitz, who assumed the role of company president when Oscar died in 1990. “Under my father’s leadership, the business expanded to our present location on Martin Luther King Boulevard, which was then Highland Drive, and has steadily grown to more than 200,000 square feet of showroom space and the 300 employees we have today.”

Along with expansion in terms of square footage, the Walker Furniture product line has grown to include furnishings representing multiple brands, styles and price ranges. The store’s square footage translates to more than 4.5 acres of indoor furniture galleries, a “Rooms Store,” a custom office furniture division, custom furniture rentals and a clearance center.

The 2004 addition to the interior showroom space was a two-story atrium that features a courtyard café and a 22-foot custom bronze fountain. The addition opened up the entire showroom on both levels, making it easier for customers to navigate between departments and allowing natural light into areas of the showroom.

In conjunction with steady business growth, Walker Furniture has maintained a consistent focus on giving back to the Southern Nevada community. During the years, the company has supported a range of community-based organizations and programs aimed at enhancing the quality of life for residents of Southern Nevada.

Walker Furniture’s donations of furniture, money and business expertise have reached out to thousands of Southern Nevada residents in need and continue to benefit recipients such as the Clark County School District Public Education Foundation and HELP of Southern Nevada.

Coincidentally, 2013 marks the 20th consecutive year of Walker Furniture’s largest annual charitable endeavor: Home for the Holidays. Since 1994, Home for the Holidays has helped make the holiday season brighter for more than 300 families in need in Southern Nevada by providing them with a houseful of brand-new furniture. The program began in 1994 with deliveries to 12 families and has expanded each year since. Recipients have included families facing financial difficulties, families with children suffering from physical and/or mental disorders, people who have lost their homes and belongings to fires, and victims of domestic violence and/or sexual abuse.

“Since the very beginning, our family has been grateful to the Southern Nevada community for our business success and for the lifestyle we have enjoyed here over the past 40 years,” Alterwitz said. “We never lose sight of our responsibility as longtime citizens of the Las Vegas community, to lend our support, to the best of our ability, when and where it is needed. Home for the Holidays is just one thing we do each year and we continue to find new ways to demonstrate our appreciation for what Southern Nevada has given to us and our families. We’ve been here for a long time and long term our vision is to see Walker Furniture continue as a leader in Southern Nevada, in terms of offering value to our customers and supporting our community.”

Through June 24, the company is offering a free drawing for a chance to win $5,800 dollars in the winner’s choice of furniture and accessories along with other special promotions. There is no purchase necessary to enter the drawing.

Complete details regarding the drawing and other promotions can be obtained at the Walker Furniture showroom, 301 S. Martin Luther King Blvd.