Business Spotlight: Craftsmanship, resilience keys to Norman's success

It started as a hobby. When Norman Hicks got home from work, he would go out to his garage and spend a few hours refinishing antiques.

Neighbors and friends began to admire Hicks' craftsmanship, and before long, he was refinishing antiques for other people.

Eventually, Hicks got so busy that he quit his job as produce manager at Consumer's Supermarket and started his own business.

Originally Norman's Furniture was an antique outlet. Hicks bought antiques, refinished them and then sold them at his store or antique shows around the country.

During this period, Hicks and his wife Allene collected some outstanding antiques for their home. However, they never found a dining room table and chair set that met with their satisfaction.

Ever the handyman, Hicks decided to build an antique reproduction table and chair set out of solid oak.

One thing led to another, and Hicks found himself building more and more solid oak antique reproductions.

"Eventually, I got to the point where 90 percent of my business was coming from antique reproductions that occupied 10 percent of my floor space," Hicks said. "At that point, I stopped buying and selling antiques, and I began making furniture."

Approximately 95 percent of the solid oak antique reproductions at Norman's Furniture are sold to individuals while 5 percent are sold to furniture wholesalers, Hicks said.

Much of Hicks' retail sales comes from tourists and motorists who pull off the road out of sheer curiosity when see the huge rocking chair perched atop the roof of his store, located alongside Highway 65 near Ozark.

In addition to a 4,000-square-foot showroom, Hicks has several other buildings, which house the furniture as it is being made. In fact, Hicks encourages his customers to take a tour so they can see the furniture as it is being made.

The nine employees who work on site build most of the furniture. However, Hicks does employ several subcontractors who fill orders for the store during peak periods.

"We're able to keep prices low because of our location and because we don't have a real fancy showroom," Hicks said. "You might be able to find something cheaper somewhere else, but you can't buy more for your money anywhere than you can here. We make the best quality solid oak antique reproductions in the area."

In addition to selling solid oak antique reproductions, Norman's Furniture is one of the largest curved glass distributors in southwest Missouri. Curved glass is used when making china and curio cabinets, and the store sells and carries more than 60 different glass sizes.

Over the years, Hicks has faced his share of challenges. During its 35-year history, Norman's Furniture has survived three fires.

Hicks rebuilt after each fire, and now the manufacturing, finishing and storage areas are located in separate buildings.

"A lot of chemicals are used when you make furniture, particularly during the finishing process," Hicks said. "In this business, you don't wonder if you're going to have a fire, you wonder when you're going to have a fire. That's why everything is located in separate buildings. That way when there's a fire, you don't lose everything."

Currently, Hicks is planning how to keep his business running after he retires. In 1986, Hicks sold Norman's Furniture and retired.

After several years, however, the business began to founder, and Hicks assumed ownership again in 1998.

Now age 65, Hicks is in the process of training two new employees, Steve Prisliski and Patrick Totten.

According to Hicks, the two will run the business alongside him until they are ready to assume ownership.

"I'm looking forward to retiring and spending more time with my wife," Hicks said. "Most of the good things that have happened to me in my life have happened to me because of her. She's supported my career efforts for many years, and I'm looking forward to supporting her efforts now as she fulfills her duties in the Eastern Star."

Norman's Furniture

Year founded: 1965

Owner's name: Norman and Allene Hicks

Address and phone number: 1781 W. Clay, Ozark, MO 65721; 581-7826