Whitley Furniture Galleries
Furniture retailer in North Carolina, 1909–2022 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Whitley Furniture Galleries (abbreviated as Whitley Galleries) was a former furniture retailer located in Zebulon, North Carolina. While operational, the galleries were advertised as "Wake County's largest furniture store", and had the largest furniture stock in the Research Triangle until closing in 2022.
Formerly | Zebulon Supply Company (until 1946), Whitley Furniture Company (until 1979) |
---|---|
Company type | Furniture retailer |
Founded | 1909 (1909) |
Founder | R.J. Whitley |
Defunct | 2022; 2 years ago (2022) |
Headquarters | |
Area served | The Research Triangle, Wake County, and Eastern North Carolina |
Website | whitleygalleries |
Founded as the Zebulon Supply Company in 1909 by R.J. Whitley, the business was passed down to his son C.V. Whitley upon his death in 1924. Under C.V., the business, which before had been a general supplies store, began to specialize in furniture. This product specialization, alongside its location in a crossroads town, large floor space, and good business practices, helped the business survive the Great Depression. Radio advertising and giveaways helped make the business one of the town's most successful businesses, and the county's largest furniture store. In January 2022, the business announced its closure after 113 years of operations, citing a lack of a fifth generation to carry on the family business. The eight buildings which made up the galleries were put on sale for $5,299,000.