- The Clarksville, Tennessee furniture retailer David Berggren describes the principles behind twenty-five years of locally owned retail.
Running a Local Business by a Set of Principles
Tennessee, USA, 14th May 2026, ZEX PR WIRE — David Berggren started Furniture Connection Inc. in 1999 with one core belief: customers in his market deserved quality furniture at fair prices and honest service. More than twenty-five years later, he runs the largest furniture showroom in Clarksville, Tennessee. The business has stayed consistent because the principles driving it have stayed consistent.
Berggren recently shared the commitments that have guided his approach to local retail, offering them as a practical reference for anyone building or operating a customer-facing business.
Five Commitments Behind Furniture Connection
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Hire for attitude, not just availability and train for skill. Staff who understand the product create a different kind of customer experience. Berggren trains his team to answer questions honestly and thoroughly, rather than defaulting to scripted responses.
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Price honestly from the start. The slogan Fine Quality Furniture at the Lowest Price was not a marketing choice. It was a business premise. Berggren built the company around the belief that competitive pricing and product quality could coexist.
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Give customers room. The 46,000 square foot Furniture Connection showroom is designed to let customers move at their own pace. Berggren has consistently pushed against high-pressure retail environments, believing that unhurried customers make better decisions and become better long-term relationships.
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Stay close to the community you serve. Furniture Connection is a sponsor of Hope to Dream, Judy’s Hope, Hope House, and FUEL, and a Partner in Education with Kenwood Elementary School. Berggren treats these relationships as part of operating in Clarksville, not a separate charitable initiative.
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Measure success through returns. A customer who comes back is a customer who was treated right. Berggren measures the performance of his business not by transaction volume but by the percentage of customers who return and refer others.
Putting These into Practice
Each of these commitments is actionable at any scale. Business owners and retail operators can start by auditing their current approach to customer service, pricing transparency, and community involvement. Pick one area and commit to a visible improvement over the next thirty days.
Berggren’s record across twenty-five years suggests that consistency in these areas compounds over time. The business he built in 1999 is still operating on the same principles today.
About David Berggren
David Berggren is the owner and founder of Furniture Connection Inc. in Clarksville, Tennessee. The company has served Middle Tennessee and southern Kentucky since 1999 from a 46,000 square foot showroom. Visit furnitureconnectionclarksville.com for more information.
