Normally if a local store is not competitive, there are one of two reasons: 1) The store owner has not adapted to current market conditions. Quite simply, as the profit margins move downward - and they have - they have not revised their business structure to capture sales that would otherwise go to out-of-area dealers. Some store owners insist on adhering to a margin-based price structure and will not adjust. The smart businessman NEVER lets a customer walk out to do business out-of-area. I know a number of store owners who are hard-headed and won't adapt. Its up to you, their local customer, to bring in a price quote and show them that they need to match it or you'll go elsewhere. If enough customers do that, they'll get the message. But if you never tell them, then they don't know. 2) Some furniture makers have a 2-tier price structure. Small stores don't get as large a discount from the maker as larger ones do. Typically its based on dollar-volume sold, or number of pieces put on the floor. So there is a chance that within a certain brand line that you local dealer is paying more for the goods than a larger, out-of-state discounter. This happens to me with Southwood Furniture as an example. My cost basis is 10 % less than the big store in the next county because they do more volume by accident than I do working hard at it. Still they get the volume price and I don't. Nevertheless, I adapt (being a savvy dealer!) and match price or go under them everyday. It results in thin margins, and it does not exactly make me want to invest in a lot of their product for the floor. Personally, I think it a bad policy from the makers as it tends to keep the little guys small regardless of how hard they work for the brand and limits floor exposure for their dealership network. Walk your best price into your local dealer and tell them in no uncertain terms they need to beat it. See what happens! Keep in mind however, that local sales tax is not something that your hometown store cannot waive and should be factored out when price shopping (the flip side of this is that these taxes do come back into your community infrastructure when you buy locally). Duane Collie

I have had this place in the back of my mind. When I am ready for new seating I am going to investigate further. Made in USA. Here is a link that might be useful: Comfortable Couch Company slipcovered sofa

The botanical name Plumeria rubra would suggest that species has reddish flowers. But with most species there is some variation in color. Probably uncommon, but once someone happened upon an unusual colored species in the wild, it was collected, cultivated, and likely propagated. Plumeria alba has white flowers. So, I wonder if most of the plumerias we see cultivated today are actually hybrids with a potentially wider gene pool of colors than the straight species. Sort of reminds me of two native hollies in Florida -- Ilex opaca and Ilex cassine. Where their ranges overlap they often hybridize. Explorers happened upon quite a variation of plants resulting from the cross. These are now called Ilex x attenuata. Named selections include Fosters #2, Greenleaf, Savannah, East Palatka, etc, ...each of them a bit different than the others!. That said, I just found this interesting article about the different 'forms' of Plumeria rubra: 'There is little agreement among botanists about how many Plumeria species exist. The number of Plumeria species has been reported from five to 45! Plumeria rubra L. is apparently the source of many Plumeria cultivars. The species is the parent stock for many color variations and many of the named cultivars we have today. In the past, flower colors of Plumeria rubra were considered distinct species but are now regarded as different forms of the same species. All forms have twisted overlapping corollas, much like the blades of a propeller. Forma acutifolia has white flowers and yellow centers. Forma lutea has yellow flowers. Forma rubra has pink flowers with a tangerine- yellow center and forma tricolor has pale yellow-white flowers with yellow centers and a red or pink rim. Forma rubra has the longest flowering days and is the tallest of the four forms. Flowers of forma acutifolia and forma lutea appear earlier in the year than forma rubra but their flowering days are generally shorter.'

I've had my two for 24 years now. Our Dobermans have never been allowed on them or even in that room. Our little, 12-pound white Tibetan Spaniel is allowed on them, though. We spend a lot of time in this room, but don't usually eat on the sofas. Our 2 kids grew up with them, but spent more time in our family room, where the TV is. We have forgiving, kid and pet friendly leather furniture in there. I get them cleaned periodically, too, but we've always had the rule that , although you could nap on them, Noone sits on them if their pants are dirty or dusty. Worked for us