Katanning Furnishings
Katanning Furnishings is a true family business, with the original founder Eric, and his wife Rosemary, still occasionally popping into the store which is now managed on a daily basis by their sons Ian and Alan.
Katanning Furnishings was opened by Eric McFarland, who previously had been a qualified carpet layer, then department manager for Foy & Gibson, a department store that was eventually bought out by David Jones. His wife Rosemary worked as a secretary for Wesfarmers, so they lived off her wage and ploughed everything into the business.
Over time children appeared, the business grew and they built the first store that the couple owned owned outright at 5 Dore Street in 1973. They built the “Cash & Carry” furniture store in Taylor Street originally as an indoor cricket centre in 1983. In 1987 it was converted to second hand and budget furniture.
Their son Ian joined the business in 1984 and commenced a floor covering apprenticeship. Their other son, Alan, joined the business in 1987, having been involved in the supermarket industry in Perth metro. The latest move was to a new 2000m2 premises at 62 Clive Street in November 2010.
Over the years the store has occupied a number of premises. Having outgrown its original Clive Street premises Eric constructed buildings in Drove Street and Taylor Street, but in 2010 the family bought and extended the old Wesfarmers building on Clive Street, which is where they remain today.
Katanning Furnishings in Clive Street
From its website
Katanning Furnishings is a family-owned furniture and floor covering business started by Eric McFarland, covering the Great Southern of West Australia, in 1964.
From its humble beginnings it now has a huge store in Katanning and is part of the Australia wide “Homemakers Furniture” group, a buying group of independent furniture retailers that has been in operation for over 60 years. It jealously guarded its philosophy of bringing marketing and buying power to its member’s, whilst maintaining retailer independence. The retailer who owns the store, also runs the store and is part of the local community, bringing local interest, knowledge, and commitment to their markets.
Today, being a “Country Store”, Katanning Furnishings caters for every style of furnishings & décor for every budget. It has a huge range of furniture on the floor, including leather lounge suites and specialty items such as electric lift recliners.
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ERIC & ROSEMARY MCFARLAND
Eric McFarland at 26 years of age when opening Katanning Furnishings in 1964.
After three years of planning and saving Katanning Furnishings commenced operations in Katanning on 14 February, 1964 when a young Eric McFarland (at 26 years of age) opened the town’s first specialist furniture store in Clive Street.
After his marriage to Rosemary the couple continued to put money aside and, ten months later, their plans came to fruition. At the time of opening Katanning Furnishings had stock worth £1,500 including furniture, floor coverings, nursery needs, bedding, blinds and awnings.
Eric was educated at the Katanning Junior High School and has been involved in the flooring and furnishings industry his whole life, beginning his career as a carpet laying apprentice on leaving school with Foy & Gibson. He worked his way up the ranks eventually landing a role as the head of Foy & Gibson’s furnishings department.
Eric McFarland was made a Life Member of the Katanning Club , along with Marlene Shackley and Athol Harris, in 2021. He served as a councillor on the Katanning Shire Council from 1977 to 1992 and was Deputy Shire President from 1986 to 1990.
https://www.facebook.com/PremierMillKatanning/videos/564928937663351
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Backyard Farmer: The magic pear tree
ABC LOCAL
27 August, 2014
By Tracey Armstrong
Eric McFarland and his magic pear tree
(Tracey Armstrong – Supplied)
This week, we take a look at the mysterious tree in your backyard – you know, the one you just can’t quite figure out? Most people have a tree, plant, or vine in their backyard that has an unknown origin, and possibly produces some strange fruit or flowers.
Katanning businessman Eric McFarland is familiar with mysterious trees – he refers to them as the “damned if I know” variety. Eric has been nurturing his garden in Katanning for forty four years, and firmly believes that you should never have to get a ladder to reach your fruit.
After some time trying to figure out what the sprawling tree in his back garden was, he found out that it was an old pear tree. “The shape of it is like an umbrella,” Eric says. “We have grafted four other pears and four apples onto it, so that you can reach your fruit and the air and the sun can reach your fruit.”
“I call it the ‘magic pear tree’ because it has so many different types of fruit on it, and the fruit all comes in to ripen over a series of months,” says Eric. The first to fruit during the year is an Italian pear, which Eric says can grow to a whopping 1.7kg. “It’s fabulous; you get eight fruits that come in over five months, so you get enough fruit coming of it all the time. It’s a fruit salad on one tree.”
Eric’s garden is abundant with life. From a collection of Silky ‘ladies’ scratching around the veggie patch who roost in a three-storey mansion of a chook house, Belgium chickens that lay green eggs, to a snow pea patch that towers above your head.
“At the end of the season I usually let my chooks out and give them a day and a half,” laughs Eric. “I call it Christmas for them and they have a real good old scratch. They get rid of all the bugs and grubs and then you replant again on top of it.”
Eric spends a few hours in his garden every single day. “I think gardening is good for your health,” he says. “At my age, if you don’t use it you lose it so it keeps me active.”
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