Posted by Chair King Backyard Store

This year, Chair King Backyard Store celebrates 75 years of business, and in honor of our 75th anniversary, we’re taking a look back at our storied history. From our founding in 1950 to what we have planned for 2025, learn how we became the largest outdoor furniture retailer in the country and what we’re looking forward to next year and beyond.

In a period marked by new construction following the post-war boom, the rise of suburban living and entertaining at home became a staple of American life, and Chair King was there to furnish the influx of newly built homes with quality furniture. Couches, bedroom sets, office chairs, and more could be found at our one location, a small store just off Kirby Drive. The first Chair King was owned by the Zimmer Family, a husband-and-wife duo with dreams of expanding the brand. Houston’s economy during this period supported that dream.

The petrochemical industry made Bayou City its headquarters, and the city flourished. Young professionals and new families flocked to the city for jobs and new opportunities. This was the same decade the Houston Chronicle ran a story titled “Now You Can Carpet Your Patio.” It detailed how to expand your home’s living area to the outdoors with indoor luxuries like weather-resistant rugs, rattan furniture, and an update on a backyard classic–a porch swing from Chair King, now with a new, floral canopy.

In 1959, Hurricane Debra hit Houston and changed everything. With winds up to 105 mph and heavy rainfall, the storm caused widespread flooding that shut down highways, airports, and shuttered businesses for days. It was an eye-opening experience for the Zimmer family, who began to take a critical look at their merchandise after seeing how their products fared during the storm. Quality became a priority for Chair King as more commercial-grade furniture products became common stock. We took a note from our city and rebuilt stronger, closing out the decade as an outdoor furniture retailer that made value, service, and quality cornerstones of our brand.

It was a decade of celebration. Chair King announced its 10-year anniversary with a new location off of Kirby Drive, an exciting achievement for the Zimmer family, who had their eyes set on expansion since they founded the brand in 1950. The Houston Chronicle picked up the anniversary story and ran it in the Sunday paper, calling Chair King, “...the only one of its kind in this area.” The article ran beside a black and white picture of an outdoor pool setup complete with wrought iron tables and chairs, chaise lounges, and striped patio umbrellas–all furnished by Chair King. “...the company has customers as far away as Nairobi and El Salvador,” the Houston Chronicle wrote. We were dealers in casual outdoor furniture, one of a kind.

While we no longer carry wrought iron outdoor furniture in our showrooms or online, styles and materials evolved over the years. Our rust resistant aluminum with reinforced welds offers a more durable and customizable option, designed to meet today’s outdoor living needs.

Through trial and error, storms and fads, the Zimmer family figured out what worked for Chair King. They introduced our signature, White Glove Delivery, to their local customers in the ‘60s, a service we still offer today. Also, Our 5% price-beat guarantee wouldn’t exist without the Zimmer family’s dedication to offering their customers the best deal. They helped their neighbors in an effort to build trust and community, and 65 years later, a legacy. No one can predict the future with any certainty, but there is one constant: change. It’s what made the next decade one of our most memorable.

The year was 1970, and business was steady. Chair King outgrew its first location, that quaint store off Kirby Drive, and relocated to a newer, larger storefront in Town and Country Village. It was another step forward, but twenty years had passed since Chair King’s founding. The hustle and grind of managing a business didn’t spare the Zimmer family, and in 1971, Mr. Zimmer fell ill and passed away shortly after. Mrs. Zimmer was devastated, but she had two showrooms to run. She did what she could, but she’d always had a partner before and the work was never easy. That same year, she sold the business to Dean Eddison, the Zimmer family’s long-time insurance agent, and retired.

Mr. Eddison ran both Chair King stores until 1973 when he sold the company to Marvin Barish, a CPA with entrepreneurial dreams. Mr. Barish was no stranger to retail, having worked 23 years in his extended family’s jewelry and camera store while earning his CPA license. Like the Zimmer family before him, he saw what Chair King was and could be again–a family business and a community provider. He took the keys and a leap of faith. Marvin managed the larger store on Westheimer while his daughter, Jackie Barish, ran the Town and Country location.

By 1975, Marvin had already made business contacts around the globe, importing new materials, styles, and products, unlike any others on the market. Business was booming. Chair King’s two-person team had doubled in size in 1976 adding two more members and a second delivery truck to keep up with growing customer demand. All the pieces were falling into place for expansion along with the opportunities and challenges that come with it.

Do you want to learn more about Chair King Backyard Store’s history? Visit our About Us page and subscribe to our newsletter for the next installment of Chair King Backyard Store: The Decades in Review. In the meantime, find deals on new outdoor furniture collections and enter to win our Anniversary Sale Giveaway as you wait to read about our next update: The 1980s.