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By H. Camille Smith

	Everything needed to decorate and accessorize your home can be found within the Mart's 100-plus manufacturer-direct showrooms. Image courtesy of Hickory Furniture Mart.
	Image courtesy of Hickory Furniture Mart.

And finally, we're off to the Hickory Furniture Mart, located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Hickory, North Carolina. The true bargain-seeker will want to allow an entire day to shop the almost 1 million square feet of manufacturer-direct furniture bargains. The Mart is open to the public seven days a week and is the largest of its kind in the country.

Here you'll find over 1,000 mid to high-end manufacturer's brands, with many respected names such as Broyhill, Thomasville, Century, Lane, Henredon, and La-Z-Boy. These well-known brands and many, many others are displayed in 100 factory stores, outlets and galleries, offering everything from North Carolina-made sofas and armoires to crystal chandeliers and hand-made accessories imported from the far corners of the world.

Truly, you can find most everything you need here to furnish your home. Because the Mart's sheer size and almost limitless choices can be a little overwhelming, they offers many services and amenities to assist you. Design assistants are available in most showrooms to help you with placing custom orders, selecting fabrics and coordinating furniture styles. Service desks are staffed with personnel, who can direct you to specific showrooms or manufacturers and answer general questions concerning local restaurants or lodging. Also, placed throughout the Mart are cozy resting spots, which offer a quiet corner to relax, consult a map of the showrooms and contemplate your next purchase. And when you've completed your shopping, you can arrange consolidated shipping for all of your purchases through their on-site freight service. This is less expensive than shipping each item individually and all of your items will arrive at your home at the same time.

Don’t forget to bring along a tape measure and room dimensions, including the dimensions of door openings, hallways and staircases. There is nothing more maddening than finally finding the perfect entertainment center at a price you can afford and not being able to get it through the door! Also, bring fabric swatches from your existing furniture and paint chips so you can be sure that the rolled-arm recalmier that you have just fallen in love with will match your home's current decor.

• Hickory Furniture Mart: Check their website for After Market and Clearance sales, when savings are even greater. http://www.hickoryfurniture.com/
  
• The Mart's listing of recommended hotels: http://www.hickoryfurniture.com/shopstay_page.cfm