Darrell Daley’s furniture business in Amherst has been growing ever since it opened.
First, there came an expansion in 2017 and now, in 2021, Daley is preparing to open a brand new store in the town square mall on South Albion as part of Sweet Dreams Furniture and Appliances.
Preparations are ahead of schedule for the March 1 opening date.
“I’m absolutely excited, can’t wait,” Daley told The Cumberland Wire.
Daley, with his wife Carrie, started the business as Amherst Surplus from their home in 2012 before moving to a building on Clinton Street in 2014.
In the beginning, they sold only commercial office furniture.
Early returns were successful.
“There was a very good market for that and that grew and grew,” Daley commented.
With that success, they started to wonder if the Amherst market could handle a third furniture store.
They tested things out and realized the market did indeed exist.
“We started doing more and more in the new home furniture,” said Daley.
In 2017, they expanded, doubling the building in size that could accommodate all their product.
That’s how Sweet Dreams came into being.
But they didn’t stop there.
They continued testing the market and nearly four years later, they’re expanding again.
Daley says the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the opening of the new store.
Plans were already underway before the pandemic, but Daley felt the pandemic pushed it along quicker.
As people are unable to spend money on things like travel, more and more people are reallocating their disposable income to their homes.
“People are spending more on home goods,” said Daley.
They found a new space and moved in Jan. 1, 2021.
The building required a total renovation, including new flooring, new lighting, and new walls for warehouse and office spaces.
“It was really just a square box with nothing in it,” said Daley. “It really needed to be updated.”
When Daley spoke to the Cumberland Wire on Feb. 12, he said the work was just about finished.
While in the old store, they sold furniture and mattresses, in the new store they will be selling furniture, mattresses and appliances.
“Our goal here is to offer a great service and some more choice for our small town,” said Daley.
Daley’s background
Daley, who was born and raised in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, has practically spent his entire life working in furniture.
His father was an upholster so Daley’s initiation to the furniture business came when he was just a child.
As a young adult, Daley worked in an appliance store and, since then, he worked through the chains, selling appliances.
He eventually came to own a Sears dealer store and, after that closed, he opened a Bricks store.
Once that closed down, he moved to Nova Scotia where, eventually, he started his current business.
