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Retail by Drew Limsky Jerry Baer, president and CEO of Baerโs Furniture, grew up in Indiana, and his move to South Florida symbolizes everything about the evolution of his company. The company was founded by Baerโs grandparents in South Bend in 1945; in 1968, Baerโs launched its first store in Florida. Soon enough, the entire family began migrating to the Sunshine State. One by one, as the Indiana stores closed, the Florida showrooms debuted. The moveโand the endeavorโhas proven wildly successful. Baer says that โ70 of our competitors are goneโโbut Baerโs is still here and thriving. Today, the company has 17 Florida locations, with its largest showrooms in the tricounty area in Boca Raton and Pembroke Pines. It remains a family business, with a fourth generation of Baers getting into the act. Unexpectedly, the condition of the home furnishings industry has become newsworthy since the emergence of COVID-19. But the stresses of the shelter sectorโwhich has been plagued by delayed shipmentsโhas proven to be more hiccup than crisis for Baerโs. โWeโre in better shape than most, with the largest inventory in our history,โ Baer says. โFrom what weโve been told by our clients, weโve been better able to get delivery when we want it.โ He says that itโs challenging when production is shut down in countries the company depends upon, but โbecause we forecast so far out, because our vendor partners are strongโmany of them are very strongโthey are able to help us, given our reputation for paying our bills and taking care of our customers.โ He says that early on in the pandemic, clients tended to be less patient than they are today, but theyโve adjusted to industrywide slowdowns. โAnd though weโre being hit with so many price increases,โ Baer says, โweโre still honoring every deal weโve made with every client. Thatโs the only way we do business.โ Baerโs marquee partners include the tropical-inspired Tommy Bahama, as well as Natuzzi Editions, Huntington House, Bernhardt, Lexington and Beautyrest. Baer notes that his company is the largest Natuzzi Editions dealer in the Americas (the brand, known for the quality of its leather upholstery, is based in Italy), and itโs the largest Tommy Bahama and Lexington dealer in the world. (Baerโs has been Tommy Bahamaโs partner โsince it started in the furniture business,โ Baer says.) โBecause of our buying power and our history with these companiesโwe believe in long-term partnershipsโwe tend to be in better position. We donโt tend to bounce around from company to company.โ