Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Nebraska Furniture Mart

en.wikipedia.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 77 posts

Re: Nebraska Furniture Mart

#11

Post by hogFeast »

lqet wrote: post #9

> In 1989, at age 95, Mrs. B's family forced her into retirement. Unhappy with this and realizing that Buffett had not made her sign a non-compete agreement, Mrs. B started "Mrs. B’s Clearance and Factory Outlet" across the street from Nebraska Furniture Mart three months later. > Two years later, "Mrs. B’s Clearance and Factory Outlet" was profitable and the third largest carpet outlet in Omaha.

And when she decided to rejoin, Buffett made her sign a non-compete agreement...at the age of 97 (I think)...which is surely a first. Iirc, it was a five year non-compete.

Re: Nebraska Furniture Mart

#12

Post by c0achmcguirk »

I have no idea why this is on the front page of Hacker News but I'm not hating it.

I moved from Omaha to the Denver/Boulder area two years ago and besides the Henry Doorly Zoo, I miss Nebraska Furniture Mart the most.

NFM is a great place to buy pretty much anything you want to put in your house. Mrs. B really knew how to make a business work. The only weird thing is how antiquated their computer systems are, it's amazing they are so profitable with 70's era technology running the business.

Re: Nebraska Furniture Mart

#13

Post by jfk13 »

c0achmcguirk wrote: post #12

I have no idea why this is on the front page of Hacker News but I'm not hating it. I moved from Omaha to the Denver/Boulder area two years ago and besides the Henry Doorly Zoo, I miss Nebraska Furniture Mart the most. NFM is a great place to buy pretty much anything you want to put in your house. Mrs. B really knew how to make a business work. The only weird thing is how antiquated their computer systems are, it's am…

Perhaps that illustrates just how little value we've really added during the last few decades of "improving" business systems...

Re: Nebraska Furniture Mart

#14

Post by lqet »

c0achmcguirk wrote: post #12

I have no idea why this is on the front page of Hacker News but I'm not hating it. I moved from Omaha to the Denver/Boulder area two years ago and besides the Henry Doorly Zoo, I miss Nebraska Furniture Mart the most. NFM is a great place to buy pretty much anything you want to put in your house. Mrs. B really knew how to make a business work. The only weird thing is how antiquated their computer systems are, it's am…

> It's amazing they are so profitable with 70's era technology running the business.

Without knowing any details, I would say that there are people who would argue that this attitude may be one of the reasons they are profitable. Why change a perfectly working system your customer does have no direct interaction with?

Re: Nebraska Furniture Mart

#15

Post by lotsofpulp »

jfk13 wrote: post #13
c0achmcguirk wrote: post #12

I have no idea why this is on the front page of Hacker News but I'm not hating it. I moved from Omaha to the Denver/Boulder area two years ago and besides the Henry Doorly Zoo, I miss Nebraska Furniture Mart the most. NFM is a great place to buy pretty much anything you want to put in your house. Mrs. B really knew how to make a business work. The only weird thing is how antiquated their computer systems are, it's am…

Perhaps that illustrates just how little value we've really added during the last few decades of "improving" business systems...

I derive great value from ordering online and picking up in store, as well as stores that show me inventory and item location.

Re: Nebraska Furniture Mart

#17

Post by sabujp »

Just to clarify "largest home furnishing store" the article literally means by sq ft within a single structure. Obviously the Ikeas of the world have much more total sq ft.

Re: Nebraska Furniture Mart

#18

Post by GWSchulz »

If you've never hiked through one, they are quintessential American excess. I know for many of you, their locations are Flyover Country. But actually embark from your stopover next time and spend a full weekend experiencing it. I've lived all over Middle America and the SF Bay Area for several years, and I live in Tulsa now. Nebraska Furniture Mart makes IKEA look like a Mission bodega that ran out of American Spirits and artisan beer.

Re: Nebraska Furniture Mart

#20

Post by dsfyu404ed »

lqet wrote: post #14
c0achmcguirk wrote: post #12

I have no idea why this is on the front page of Hacker News but I'm not hating it. I moved from Omaha to the Denver/Boulder area two years ago and besides the Henry Doorly Zoo, I miss Nebraska Furniture Mart the most. NFM is a great place to buy pretty much anything you want to put in your house. Mrs. B really knew how to make a business work. The only weird thing is how antiquated their computer systems are, it's am…

> It's amazing they are so profitable with 70's era technology running the business. Without knowing any details, I would say that there are people who would argue that this attitude may be one of the reasons they are profitable. Why change a perfectly working system your customer does have no direct interaction with?

Not to mention they've had 50yr to refine their process.
Post reply on HN