As one of the earliest, if not the very first Home Theater Seating manufacturer back in 1997, it seems like today, more and more “Faux” seating companies have appeared. What do I mean by “Faux?” Exactly what the word means… “Fake,” Imitations come and go, but standing firm to your principles of honesty, integrity and quality will last far beyond a short warranty and false statements. One seating company on their website actually says; “REAL FAUX Leather!”
Back when we launched PremiereHTS in 1997, there was nothing like it on the market. As veterans of the Audio/Video industry dating back to 1973, a new trend was appearing. “Surround Sound.” It took our music and spread it around the room. A gimmick that displeased most Audiophiles, but there would be a purpose and place for this technology. The Movie Experience for home was about to explode. Projection video, large “Big Box” rear projectors and larger and larger picture tubes arrived. When the first Plasma flat screens arrived, everything changed. Today the public movie theaters have been challenged and the arrival of a pandemic sealed the deal. Home is now the Theater experience we never imagined.
I say all this to say…
With all the technological advance in electronics, speakers, time delay processers, motion seating, subwoofers, etc., furniture was never considered as a key component. So your old, Lazy Boy recliner, couch, or Bean Bag were your theater seating. But now you have a plethora of cheap furniture being labeled Theater Seating by throwing a cup holder in the arm. When PremiereHTS entered the High-End Home Theater market, we took the same position as we had for the previous 25 years, only representing the best! But when you are the first, you have to create a whole new category. So in 1997, we showed seating like no other. Our highest quality dealers, integrators and designers paid attention. The road was tough and trying to find established old school furniture companies to come along with us was difficult, and just pain impossible. Until one, Got It. The learning cure was long and teaching an, “Old Dog to do New Tricks,” in furniture wasn’t easy. But with a persistent attitude and the support of the best team of representatives and dealers nationally, we got there.
Buyer Be Ware…
When searching the internet using the most common search words, “Home Theater Seating,” what appears is a long list of offshore manufacturers who when the market crashed in 2008 and the furniture manufacturers were devastated, they snatched up their names, search domains and entered the category. The unsuspecting consumer thought these were “dad’s recliner companies.” Today when you search the words, “home theater seating” which are usually part of their names and they come up first. Not only that, they pay an inordinate amount of money, “per-click,” meaning they are on top because they pay to be, not because they are the BEST! Look at each of these top sights and strangely they all look to have the same chairs! WHY? Because there is a MEGA manufacturer in China making most all of them. Is that what you are looking for? Their websites make wild claims of long warranties, upholstery materials and customer satisfaction that cannot be verified.
Now with many years under our belt, by 2005, the imitations began. Many of the old furniture names, Berkline, BarcoLounger, Lazy Boy, Benchcraft, etc., all put a cup holder in the arm of their old recliners and the race began. Once we had developed an incredible network of the best dealers in the Audio/Video Industry, they came a calling. Showing up at our exclusive C.E.D.I.A. Show and CES, but many came and went. A few other American companies launched as “Theater Builders,” but had little or no furniture history or expertise. But with 80 years and three generations behind our factory as furniture artisans, there was and still is no comparison.
Now the Real Kicker…
I just searched the internet to keep in touch with the latest claims my some newer seating companies. The most obvious of all is their claim of celebrating 10 years in Home Theater Seating. More importantly and now common among these importers is the fact that NOWHERE on their websites will they reveal one important fact, “Is it 100% all over leather?” “Where is this so-called leather from?” “Where is this product manufactured?” Faux Leather, Bonded Leather, and Leather Matched IS NOT LEATHER!! No where to be found on their websites. You better know what you are being sold and know what these terms mean. Bottom line… “You Get What you Pay For!!” For over 25+ years PremiereHTS has only made 100%, Top Grain all over leather seating. WHY? Because everything else is FAKE!! AS we say; “Nobody was ever SORRY for BUYING the BEST!”
