One of the six companies that make up BOS Holdings, BOS IL, Roselle, Illinois, focuses on furniture, which accounts for 90% of its sales. The family-operated business began operating in 1948 as the world’s first Haworth dealer, a partnership that remains strong today. In addition to its base in Roselle, BOS has several locations in the Chicagoland area, including a recently remodeled sales showroom in downtown Chicago and a warehouse with refurbished inventory. Since 2012, the company has been employee owned thanks to an employee stock ownership plan.
“Being employee owned is the number one reason for our continued success,” says president George Lucas Pfeiffer. “We have a legacy of great people and they are all owners. It’s not one person but a whole team and they all care.”
Pfeiffer cites seeing projects through from start to finish as another plus point: “We offer clients a 360-degree experience, managing a project before and after like we would want ourselves. We start by developing the concept they are looking for; provide product selection guidance and procurement; work with them to ensure the project stays within their budget—whatever is needed. And we ensure operational excellence throughout the process. There’s a lot of complexity to designing and modeling a workplace, and I think how we solve problems sets us apart. This is why we retain clients, and those loyal customers are key to our success.”
BOS IL also does a lot of business in used furniture—enough to warrant a separate division, which continues to grow.
“We have a 150,000-square-foot warehouse of used furniture, as a lot of nonprofits and today some larger clients are buying used,” explains Pfeiffer. “Some companies are required to buy a certain amount of used furniture for sustainability reasons. There are also advantages to repurposed furniture: it’s in stock, so there’s no lead time or manufacturing delays; and with today’s economy, the used market is hot.”
Of course, there are also challenges to contend with, with success hinging on how these are addressed. “The furniture market can be competitive, especially in a city like Chicago, which can mean low margins,” admits Pfeiffer. “But this is where service comes in. You have to add value beyond just product. AI is also challenging, especially in the digital space, as no one knows what the workplace will even look like. AI is skyrocketing: there have been more advances in it in the last few months than in the last 10 years. One example is space visualization: in just the past couple of months, we went from rendering design spaces to using AI to render what they will look like with photos. But we think there’s potential in the near future to fill in and replace what AI can’t do: being human and building trust and loyalty. Computers are doing more, while human relevance and trust are deteriorating. We are optimistic that developing relationships and trust will be even more important in the future.”
For dealers looking to stay ahead of the game, Pfeiffer offers some sage advice: “It’s an exciting time, with so much innovation, but you can’t wait to adapt. To remain relevant, you have to take advantage of the opportunities as they present themselves. Learn to pivot quicker. Don’t chase every shiny object, but talk and network with your peers, as we are all in the same boat. And whether you decide to act now or wait, it’s important to stay informed.”
Headquarters: Roselle, Illinois
Top management: George Pfeiffer, CEO, BOS Holdings; George Lucas Pfeiffer, president, BOS IL
Number of employees: 102
Annual sales: $90 million
Percentage of sales by category: 90% furniture; 10% other