How to Shop North Carolina Furniture Outlets

Thanks to its status as a major furniture manufacturing hub, North Carolina is a great place to go if you're interested in new home furnishings. In fact, you can find the largest furniture store in the entire world in this southern state, along with the discount outlets for manufacturers. Furniture outlets sometimes have furniture in perfect shape that is just overstock or from an old collection, while other times these retail locations sell items that are in slightly imperfect condition.

North Carolina is home to myriad furniture outlets, so decide ahead of time which stores you want to hit and decide how long you're willing to spend in each store. Check out the stores' inventory online when possible to get an idea of what's available. Find out each store's hours of operation to determine an itinerary. Before heading to High Point for furniture shopping, contact the High Point Convention and Visitors Center and ask for a free furniture shopping packet to get more information about your options. The North Carolina Department of Commerce recommends spending one full day furniture shopping for each room in your home.

Take measurements. It sounds obvious, but homeowners sometimes forget to measure doorways and stairwell angles before making a big purchase. Your discount bedroom set won't do you any good sitting on the front lawn because it won't fit through the door. Bring these measurements to the outlets with you, along with a tape measure.

Get the High Point passport to savings booklet by going to the High Point Convention and Visitors Bureau website and clicking the red "Passport to Savings" link on the left side of the page. This booklet is free to view and print, and affords you coupons for several of the High Point area furniture outlets.

Be prepared to take furniture home with you. Some outlets don't offer a delivery service, or only deliver at an additional charge. Bring a truck or large vehicle on your shopping excursion so you don't have to pass up a great deal just because your car is too small to transport it.

Head to High Point, North Carolina, which is just southwest of Greensboro. This town is often referred to as the "Home Furnishings Capital of the World," and has more than 50 discount furniture stores. Stop at Furnitureland South, which is recognized as the largest furniture store in the world. This outlet has 300,000 square-feet of floor space, which includes 150 different display rooms with about 100,000 pieces. Wear comfortable shoes here, because you'll probably be walking for hours. Other outlets in High Point include Theodore Alexander Outlet and the Triad Furniture Outlet.

Go to Hickory, North Carolina, which is northwest of Charlotte in the western part of the state. This region is responsible for a lot of the country's furniture production, so if you have a particular American-made brand of furniture in mind, then outlets in Hickory are likely to sell it. Because many furniture manufacturers are based in this area, their only discount outlets are sometimes in Hickory. Outlets in the Hickory area include Broyhill Factory Outlet, Bernhardt Furniture Outlet and Henredon Factory Outlet. To shop several outlets in the same place, head to Hickory Furniture Mart. This four-story building has more than 15 furniture outlets under the same roof, including the aforementioned Henredon Factory Outlet, as well as Drexel Heritage Factory Outlet and Hooker Factory Outlet. Hickory Furniture Mart also has galleries and regular shops, with more than 100 retailers in total.

Tip

Bring color swatches from your wall paint and carpeting with you when you shop, so what you buy will match your current decor.

Try out your furniture before you take it home.