In this video, Michael from Kensington talks about what's actually kept the store going for 114 years. His answer isn't about the showroom floor. It's about how customers are treated and how well the business runs behind the scenes, from the warehouse to the delivery truck to the moment furniture lands in someone's living room.What keeps a furniture store in business for 114 years?According to Michael, it comes down to something simple: how you treat the customer. "How you treat the customer, how you make the customer feel," he says, is what separates a good business from one that isn't. A nice showroom, products priced right, and a staff that can help someone make a smart decision for their home all matter. But he's clear that none of it holds up without what happens after the sale is made.More than a showroom: operational excellenceMichael points to what he calls the back end of the business, the warehouse and the planning that goes into getting furniture out the door correctly. He describes it as "a lot of planning, a lot of inspecting what you expect, and trying to do the right thing to serve the customers." In plain terms, that means checking the work before it becomes a problem for a customer, not after.This is the part of the business a shopper rarely sees when they walk into the Northfield showroom, but it's the part Michael credits most directly for the store lasting as long as it has. A good buying experience that falls apart at delivery isn't a good buying experience at all.What customers actually experienceThe goal, as Michael puts it, is consistency from the first visit to the last step. Whether furniture is delivered or picked up, he says it should arrive "done with the same lack of hassle that you have when you come into the store." That's the standard he's describing: no surprises between choosing a piece and living with it.For families across South Jersey and the Shore who are weighing where to buy furniture, this is the kind of detail that doesn't show up in a showroom tour but shows up later, when the couch or the bed actually arrives.Why this matters when you're choosing a furniture storeA business staying open for 114 years isn't proof of anything on its own. What Michael is describing is the reasoning behind it: a family-run operation that treats the operational side, the planning, the inspecting, the follow-through, as seriously as the sales floor. That's the pitch he makes directly to the camera, and it's a reasonable thing to ask about at any store before you buy. Key takeaways Michael says the main reason Kensington has lasted 114 years is how customers are treated, not just the showroom or pricing. He credits operational excellence, the planning and inspection work done in the warehouse, as a key part of the business. The goal he describes is consistency: furniture should arrive with the same lack of hassle whether it's delivered or picked up. Kensington is a family-run furniture and mattress store with a showroom in Northfield, NJ. Questions people ask What does Michael say is the secret to Kensington's 114 years in business? He says it comes down to how the customer is treated and how well the operation runs behind the scenes, not just the showroom or pricing. What is operational excellence according to the video? Michael describes it as planning, inspecting what you expect, and doing the right thing to serve customers so that delivery and pickup go smoothly. Does Kensington deliver furniture or is pickup available? Michael mentions both delivery and pickup in the video, saying either should come with the same lack of hassle customers experience in the store.
