Troutman Chair Company, established in 1924, has been family owned since
its inception. The Brown family of Troutman, North Carolina is responsible for
maintaining the quality manufacturing processes for almost three-quarters of a
century.
In 1999, Champ and Jean Land purchased Troutman Chair with the intent of
continuing the tradition of handcrafting oak rockers, chairs, and stools in a manner
established in back in 1924. Farm house shaker-style chairs, rockers, stools, juvenile chairs,
and tables have been the mainstay for seventy-nine years. Items were solid oak,
delivered unfinished or with a varnish finish as it is today. Troutman Chair has used their own
delivery trucks starting with a 1925 Model T Ford Truck to modern Ford Trucks.
Since 1999 the Lands have made few changes to the Troutman Chair business and products. The goal in purchasing a company already manufacturing the best product in its category and enjoying a near perfect reputation was to merely enhance the best and offer it to the rest of the country. (Troutman products were historically sold only in the southeast.) Some of the changes are as follows:
- Troutman now ships anywhere in the continental United States and as far as Norway
- A deluxe finish line has been added with stain and painted finishes
- Stainless steel nails and arm braces are used to avoid rusting
- A side table just the right height for rockers has been added
- Solid oak tops on stools, chairs, and juvenile tables have been added.
- Dining tables to go with chairs as a new item
- Addition of larger rocker, called the Plantation rocker, to accommodate larger
consumers
- Updated catalog from black and white to color
- Minor adjustments to manufacturing processes
- Increasing sales representation
One thing the Lands noticed was that brand recognition was practically nonexistent. Most people have no idea who manufacturers the rockers they buy or the difference between the companies who make them. The Lands set about trying to change that by:
- Stamping Troutman Chair logo on the arm brace which is attached to the arms on each rocker
- Exhibiting that we are the only rocker manufacturer proud enough of our products to put our name on them
- Attending national and regional markets
- Putting an information sheet on the back of each price list and catalog
- Encouraging dealers to advertise Troutman products
- Inviting newspapers and other publications to visit the plant and hear the "Troutman Story"
- Putting hang tags on each rocker
In a time when a good deal of furniture manufacturing is being done overseas, the Lands feel a sense of pride in knowing that they are seeing to the continuation of a true southern tradition; promoting rocking on the porch and manufacturing rockers the time honored quality way of old master craftsman. Right here in the U.S.A. |
Is it an Authentic Troutman Rocker? 
