About Us
General Information
Spears Furniture is a full-line furniture store, with furniture and other home furnishings for every room in your home, since 1950. There are two main things that set Spears apart and make it the absolute best place to shop for furniture– GREAT FURNITURE & GREAT SERVICE.
GREAT FURNITURE - means GREAT VALUE. VALUE is a combination of quality and price. In general, quality tends to increase with price. But Spears finds more quality at the same price. Or the same quality at less price. For instance, we believe that Bassett is the best furniture (quality) at it’s price point. Same for Thomasville and all the other brands we carry.
GREAT FURNITURE also means Spears won’t sell cheap, throwaway furniture. Below a certain price, you CANNOT make a decent piece of furniture. Spears has a wide range of prices, but when you shop at Spears, you know you’re getting the most quality for your money - furniture we would put in our own homes, and furniture Spears is confident to put our name on and stand behind.
GREAT SERVICE - is extremely important, because furniture is relatively expensive, personal, and made by human beings from natural materials. Spears Furniture offers knowledgeable salespeople who are trained Designers, to help you get what you need. Spears professional Delivery service will prepare and place the furniture in your home. Spears will be there to provide service after the sale for the problems that occasionally arise, from warranty issues to fixing the little accidents that sometimes happen.
Refer to the other sections on this website (Pricing, Service and Designers) for additional information, or Contact Us with questions.
Mission
Spears Furniture's mission is to provide home furnishings and design assistance to enable the people of West Texas and Eastern New Mexico to create a comfortable, tasteful environment in their homes.
History
In 1946, two brothers, James and Glen Spears come to Lubbock from Oklahoma after WW2, and start a furniture store in downtown Lubbock called Spears Brothers' Furniture. They see Lubbock as a bright and shining star with great potential. In 1948 Glen Spears decides to go into ranching in Colorado, and the brothers decide to sell the business to two other brothers, Johnny and Billy Spikes. James has a two-year non-compete agreement.
In 1950, Spears Furniture is founded at 28th and Avenue Q in Lubbock, Texas by James Spears and his nephew, Walter Harrell Spears, just graduated from Baylor. The new store is really on the outskirts of the growing, thriving town. At this time there are cotton fields at 34th Street! In the early 50's, the two partners establish a sister store in Wichita Falls, Texas called Spears Furniture, also.
In 1964, the Lubbock store is expanded by adding a second floor to the existing building. It is the largest furniture store in West Texas. In 1966, Spears' Contemporary House opens at Monterey Shopping Center at 50th and Canton. Way cool contemporary furniture comes to Lubbock. In 1969, the operations are divided, with James Spears taking the Wichita Falls store and Harrell Spears taking the Lubbock store. In 1977, Harrell Spears acquires the San Antonio branch of the longest continually operating furniture store in Texas (since 1890), Stowers Furniture. This store is operated by Jonathan Spears.
In 1991, David and Nancye Spears move back to Lubbock to gradually assume responsibilities for the operation of Spears from the retiring Harrell Spears. In 2000, Nancye begins her current role as merchandising manager (buyer).
In 2003, Spears Furniture expands to a second location in southwest Lubbock at 7004 Salem Avenue, near Quaker and Loop 289, in the building formerly occupied by Spikes Brothers Furniture. In 2005, the Avenue Q store is closed.
NOW, Spears Furniture is a full-line furniture store, with furniture and other home furnishings for every room in your home. Spears Furniture offers a full range of services, to make your furniture shopping experience more complete, and help you avoid mistakes. David and Nancye’s sons, Randall and Travis, are working in the business, representing the fourth generation.
Pricing Policies and Philosophy
Spears has a wide variety of prices. This means that Spears has furniture (and prices) for everyone, regardless of your lifestyle. The common denominator is VALUE. Regardless of the price, everything at Spears is the best quality in the industry for the price.
Spears matches prices with all competitors in West Texas. No one (who has the same kind of overhead as Spears does) has a magic wand and can sell furniture for significantly less than we do. We can’t monitor everyone’s prices, but if you find the identical item for less in the area, we will match it or beat it (with the exception of closeouts or errors in pricing).
Spears’ prices are the best overall value, considering SERVICES. Spears may not have the absolute lowest price, but when you factor in all the services you get, Spears is the best VALUE. Spears’ prices are competitive (usually within 5-10%) with everybody, including the internet. But Internet companies offer NO SERVICE. They have very little overhead (buildings, employees, inventory, etc.) and often consist of a small office with a few low-paid employees taking orders and getting it shipped. Internet companies offer inferior Delivery and Service after the sale (see below). The additional Services you receive from Spears are THE BIG DIFFERENCE that makes Spears a real bargain:
Spears charges Sales Tax to customers in Texas and New Mexico. Tax is assessed based on the location where change of possession takes place. Spears charges New Mexico Sales Tax because the state of New Mexico deems Spears’ delivery trucks a “physical presence”. If the place you buy from doesn’t charge Sales Tax, YOU are supposed to pay the Sales Tax directly to the state. Not doing so is against the law, and people making large purchases have been forced to pay Sales Tax PLUS PENALTIES. In Texas (with no Income Tax), Sales Taxes are a major way local and state government are paid for, and a big part of that is for EDUCATION. When you avoid Sales Tax, you are hurting your local community, especially local schools.
Special Order Pricing (items ordered just for you) is priced the same as in-stock merchandise. Spears Furniture believes in, and encourages Special Orders, because they enable you to get exactly what you want. Unlike other furniture stores, Spears imposes NO UPCHARGE to order something we don't have in stock. We price our merchandise consistently with what the manufacturer charges us. No games or gimmicks - Just honest, straightforward values on quality home furnishings. For example, if you like a bedroom group on our floor, but want a different bed, or nightstand, we will price it consistently. If you want a different fabric (at the same "grade") on a new sofa on our floor, your price will be the same as the one on the floor, in most circumstances. Because furniture manufacturers will not take special order merchandise back, Spears reserves the right to impose a substantial restocking fee if merchandise is cancelled after it has shipped, or even after production has begun (usually for upholstery and custom finish items). However, Spears Designers will work with you to avoid this.
Delivery Procedures and Services
Spears furniture believes that the DELIVERY of your furniture should be commensurate with the quality of the furniture, and should be done by professionals who have the right equipment, training and experience to do the job right (See below for a discussion of internet “delivery services“). After all, this is furniture you are going to have for years and years. It deserves the kind of preparation and handling that only professionals who do it everyday can provide. We want you to let us deliver your furniture, and that is a big reason for Spears’ low charges for delivery (ask your Spears Designer for details). And please remember that occasionally, doing things right does take a little longer.
SUMMARY
- Three-Working-Day Preparation time
- Customers are called ONE or TWO Days before delivery
- If not called, there is a problem - Call your salesperson the day BEFORE
- Local Delivery Tuesdays thru Saturday
- Out-of-Town (out of Lubbock County) Wednesday and Friday
- Seven out-of-town delivery areas, covered every 2 weeks, 150 mile radius
- Good communication, flexibility, patience are appreciated.
- Customer Pick-ups must be planned in advance
Delivery Details
A THREE-DAY "wait" or "preparation time" is utilized to gather-up, inspect and deluxe the merchandise. This means that you as a customer need to plan ahead and ask for delivery as much in advance as possible. We thank you in advance for this, and assure you that this will tend to make the rest of the delivery go much smoother.
Deliveries are scheduled ONE or TWO DAYS in advance. If you have NOT been called by the DAY BEFORE the expected delivery date, call your salesperson, because something is wrong. This applies to local AND out-of-town deliveries.
Spears delivers locally (Lubbock County) TUESDAY through SATURDAY. Delivery times are typically 9:00am to 5:00pm. At the time of the sale, your salesperson will ask for your preference as to AM or PM delivery. Then when the delivery department calls, they will work with you to narrow the delivery time down to about a ONE HOUR WINDOW. Or, if you prefer, arrangements can be made to call you right before so you can meet the deliverymen.
Preparation and Good communication with the delivery department is very important. Please discuss any special delivery situations such as upstairs or downstairs, or furniture to be moved out, when they call you to set up the delivery. This helps with SCHEDULING. Please have the area cleared in the room where you want your new furniture. If you can’t move out your old furniture, Spears will help move out of the room whatever is being replaced by the new furniture we are delivering, but Spears cannot be liable for any damage that may occur. Drawers must be emptied before our deliverymen arrive. Please also have walkways to that room cleared for our delivery team. We cannot install anything on walls or ceilings nor can we install electronic equipment in or on entertainment cabinets. Due to liability reasons AND the tight schedule, Spears Deliverymen cannot move OTHER customer-owned merchandise while performing scheduled deliveries. However, you may hire the deliverymen, on your own, to come back and move other items later, when they are not on company time and liability. All arrangements, including payment, should be made between you and the deliverymen, and will not involve Spears Furniture.
Out-of-town deliveries are made on a regular basis to our trade area of approximately 150 mile radius (an exception is the area beyond Snyder on Hwy 84). In general, our out-of-town days are Wednesday and Friday. EVERY TWO WEEKS, Spears delivers to all SEVEN areas, corresponding to the seven highways leading out of Lubbock (The Hub City). All the other rules and guidelines noted above apply. Especially on out-of-town deliveries, we ask for FLEXIBILITY. If you cannot be there for the delivery, many times a neighbor, friend or relative can substitute.
Because Spears wants to service what we sell, deliveries beyond 150 miles from Lubbock are generally discouraged, with a couple of exceptions. We have enough customers in Roswell and Ruidoso, New Mexico, that we go there several times a year, when we have about $10,000 in sales. The other exception is for very large sales (>$10,000), and a substantial delivery charge will be required (approximately $1 per mile).
For liability and insurance reasonsSpears cannot deliver without someone representing the customer present.
Merchandise should be paid for as it is delivered, on or before delivery. In the event that a return is necessary, your money will be cheerfully refunded, assuming that the conditions noted above are followed. In no situation may payment be delayed on partial deliveries.
Spears delivery services are based on normal, usual conditions. Spears is not responsible for damage to your home caused by unusual or difficult conditions inherent to your home, such as stairs, narrow doors and hallways, low ceilings, etc. Similarly, extremely large and/or heavy items may not be able to be delivered into all locations in your home. You are responsible for using common sense in regard to these issues, and you should always notify Spears personnel prior to the delivery if there are issues that you think may be of concern. Delivery fees are not refundable. Spears reserves the right to reschedule deliveries if weather conditions make it unwise to make deliveries.
Customer Pick-ups may be made under the following conditions. You may pick up your purchase from our warehouse at 401 E. 56th or at the store with 24-hours of notice. If you opt to pick up your furniture, you are responsible for the following:
- Inspection - Take the time to thoroughly inspect your purchase for manufacturer's defects and any other problems.
- Packing and Loading - You are responsible for the loading and securing of your merchandise, but we will assist you. Bring plenty of tie-downs and padding to secure your purchase in your truck or van. Drive home carefully!
As soon as you remove your purchase from Spears Furniture, we are not responsible for any damages resulting from improper transport!
Delivery Services from Internet companies are inferior. Spears Professional Delivery services are much better than what you get from the internet companies. Most internet companies use so-called “white glove” delivery - a local moving company with a receiving dock. They are capable of moving furniture, but they aren’t knowledgeable about furniture. They do more covering-up of problems, instead of correcting them, as we do. Their goal is to get it into your home and drive away. Spears‘ goal is to place it in your home in top condition, and for you to shop with us in the future.
Storage of furniture is allowed under the following conditions: 1) Furniture must be paid for in full if a cash discount was given. 2) Furniture with No Interest Financing must have monthly payments made to Spears of no less than one-twelfth (1/12) of the balance. 3) Storage fees of 5% of the balance may be paid monthly. Furniture is considered to be “stored” when it has been available for delivery for 30 days (in-stock or after receipt in our warehouse).
Layaways are allowed, but no longer than six months. During that time, monthly payments of no less than one-sixth of the balance must be made. Layaways may not be delivered until the full balance of the purchase is made. Restocking fees of up to 50% of the purchase may be assessed if a layaway is cancelled.
Service & Warranty Policies
Service after the delivery is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. Unlike autos, Spears is only obligated to service what we sell. Spears has been selling furniture since 1950. We know furniture, and we know how to take care of the inevitable problems that occasionally arise. You probably don’t want to think about it, but the more furniture you buy, the more problems you are going to have - it’s the Law of Averages. Spears is here to take care of this, and to do it as quickly and efficiently as possible. Although your Spears Designer should be aware of it, the Customer Service Manager is responsible for administration of service.
Spears Warranty will repair or replace (at our option) anything purchased at Spears that fails due to defects in manufacturing or materials during the first year of ownership. Of course, because we have no control over how the furniture is used, this policy does not extend to situations involving excessive use or abuse. Similarly, for this reason, Spears does not warranty fabrics or leathers at all, beyond what warranty the manufacturer provides.
The Manufacturers Warranty on products sold at generally covers their products against defects in manufacturing and materials, also. The terms and conditions of these warranties vary. Spears is happy to administer these manufacturer warranties on merchandise purchased at Spears (indeed, that is part of our responsibility), but Spears does not make the rules (nor do customers) - the manufacturers do. We have found that the best way to approach a warranty situation is by working with and complying with the requirements of the manufacturer.
Returns of merchandise from our floor that doesn’t work out are permitted WITHIN 2 OR 3 DAYS. Beyond this a restocking fee may apply. This is sufficient time for a decision to be made. If an item doesn’t work, you should promptly contact your Spears Designer to arrange for prompt pickup. Of course, you are responsible for the merchandise while it is in your home, and extra care should be taken to ensure that the merchandise in the home remains in new condition until the pickup can be made. Regarding Special Orders, because this merchandise is custom-ordered for you, a different policy applies. Special Orders that are cancelled or returned are subject to a restocking fee. Manufacturers don't take back merchandise that you've changed your mind about. Please discuss this with your Spears Designer prior to your purchase.
"As Is" merchandise is not warranted, and Spears has no obligation to service items sold as "As Is". Clearance merchandise may be sold “As-Is”. Ask your Spears Designer about specific items and the As-Is policy.
Spears reserves the right to remove defective merchandise from your home in order to make repairs in our workshop or by returning it to the manufacturer.
If Spears determines warranted merchandise is not repairable or replaceable, our obligation is limited to the return of that item for full credit.
If your furniture is damaged upon delivery, please contact the Accounts Receivable Manager to work out an arrangement to withhold full payment for the damaged item (only) until repairs are made. Note that this only applies to the damaged item.
Spears offers third-party extended warranties, and any problems that arise will be handled between the customer and the third-party provider. Spears may help administer these warranties, at the direction of the third-party provider.
Be aware that Internet Service is very POOR. If you have a problem with internet furniture, you have to convince them to try to help you (Why should they? They have your money and you are a thousand miles away). Then they (or you) have to find someone locally who can do this (probably NOT the moving company that delivered it). If you have something that needs to be replaced - good luck with an internet company. Replacing furniture costs money, and is a very involved process. Spears is quite capable of doing it, and employs people who do it. We are motivated by the desire to get you to shop with us again (as well as the fact that it’s the right thing to do).
Errors and Inaccuracies
From time to time there may be information on our Web Site that contains typographical errors, inaccuracies, or omissions that may relate to product descriptions, pricing, and availability. Spears Furniture reserves the right to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions and to change or update information at any time without prior notice.
Similarly, in the course of working with customers and performing our daily operations, Spears personnel will make occasional mistakes regarding pricing and other matters. While we will make all efforts to avoid mistakes, Spears Furniture reserves the right to correct them as soon as we are aware of them, and obviously, without prior notice. Sales tickets have not been audited for accuracy at the time they are written and printed, and do not represent a contractual obligation to sell at a certain price.