When a man named began selling inexpensive reproductions of 18th and 19th Century traditional English furniture. He advertised his mahogany-finished butler''s tables and nightstands in magazines, then shipped the unassembled items to customers, who put them together in their homes. The name was idea. He associated the most glorious days of the British Empire with roomdecorations India, and its crown jewel, the city of . He hoped everyone would make the connection. They didn''t but that was the least of his problems. In 1978 was strictly mail-order. Sales totaled $1.5 million, and the company was losing money.A New Direction Then along came Canadian Robert who found out about the company and was impressed by the quality of the products and the reasonable prices.purchased the rights to develop The Company in Canada, which included access to the overseas supply channels Harper had established, mainly in Taiwan. Back in Toronto, decided to put ''s products into small stores in shopping malls. He believed the concept would attract "impulse shoppers" looking for an attractive product at a very good value.

When a man named began selling inexpensive reproductions of 18th and 19th Century traditional English furniture. He advertised his mahogany-finished butler''s tables and nightstands in magazines, then shipped the unassembled items to customers, who put them together in their homes. The name was idea. He associated the most glorious days of the British Empire with roomdecorations India, and its crown jewel, the city of . He hoped everyone would make the connection. They didn''t but that was the least of his problems. In 1978 was strictly mail-order. Sales totaled $1.5 million, and the company was losing money.A New Direction Then along came Canadian Robert who found out about the company and was impressed by the quality of the products and the reasonable prices.purchased the rights to develop The Company in Canada, which included access to the overseas supply channels Harper had established, mainly in Taiwan. Back in Toronto, decided to put ''s products into small stores in shopping malls. He believed the concept would attract "impulse shoppers" looking for an attractive product at a very good value.