The Benchcraft Story
Furniture Craftsmanship Since '74
Humble Beginnings
Bob Benchley never planned to start a furniture company. Back in '74, he just got fed up with seeing cheaply made sofas fall apart after a year or two. A cabinet maker by trade with a workshop behind his Arcadia home, Bob figured he could do better.
His first sofa – built for his sister-in-law after her divorce – caught the attention of neighbors who wanted something similar. Soon Bob was working weekends just to keep up with local orders. Folks appreciated how his pieces didn't sag or squeak like store-bought furniture.
"The first year was just me and my dog in that drafty barn," Bob recalled at our 30th anniversary party. "I'd work till my fingers went numb in winter."
By '86, you couldn't walk into a Wisconsin living room without spotting Benchcraft furniture. That's when Ashley – already becoming a big name in furniture – came knocking.
The Ashley Connection
Rather than just buying us out, Ashley offered something different: keep our design team and quality standards, but tap into their manufacturing know-how. It wasn't always a smooth ride (ask anyone who lived through the great foam shortage of '89), but the partnership created what people now know as Benchcraft by Ashley furniture.
What Makes Our Stuff Last
We're pretty obsessive about the bones of our furniture. While other makers cut corners where you can't see, we still do things the hard way:
- Hardwood frames that don't warp or crack
- Corner blocks that keep everything square for years
- Springs that distribute weight properly (no more "favorite spot" syndrome)
Our cushions use different foam densities layered together – softer on top, firmer underneath. It's more expensive to make but feels better after 5 years of Netflix marathons.
Beyond Sofas
Though we started with living room stuff, people kept asking, "Do you make bedroom furniture too?" So we applied our same stubborn quality standards to beds and dressers.
We've also moved outdoors. Our wicker furniture has to survive Minnesota winters and Florida humidity. The benchcraft rattan collection uses materials treated to handle whatever nature throws at them without looking weathered after one season.
Why People Choose Us
We keep tabs on benchcraft furniture reviews because they tell us what matters to folks who live with our pieces every day:
"My parents' Benchcraft sofa is older than me, and they're finally replacing it – with another Benchcraft." - Customer review, 2023
People mention three things consistently:
- Our stuff lasts ridiculous amounts of time
- It stays comfortable years longer than they expected
- The designs don't scream "this was made in 2002!"
That last point matters. We don't chase trends that'll look dated before you finish paying for the furniture. Instead, we design pieces that blend with how real people actually live.
Looking Forward
While Bob retired years ago, his obsession with quality remains. Today's Benchcraft team includes furniture engineers (yep, that's a real job) who test new materials and construction methods while respecting our "built to last" heritage.
Whether it's your first apartment or your forever home, we build benchcraft furniture assuming you'll keep it through multiple moves, a couple of kids, several pets, and countless movie nights.
Part of the Ashley Furniture family – America's favorite furniture maker since 1945