Grants Pass Now

Giff Gates - Owner of Gates Home Furnishings.

Being born and raised in Grants Pass has many advantages. For Giff Gates, it means he has had decades to learn every aspect of the family business, which is now known as Gates Home Furnishings.

While his original goal was to become a lawyer, Giff began working at the family business on a temporary basis while waiting to enter law school. He had already graduated from Lewis and Clark College as a political science major and was well on his way, but then he fell in love with the buying, advertising, and presentation of furniture. It proved to be more than a fleeting affair. Giff has now been in the business for 35 successful years. His personal life reflects his worth ethics. Giff has been married to Chris for 26 years, and together they’ve raised two sons. Nick is attending the University of Oregon, while Chad is a current Rotary Exchange Student in Ecuador.

Mr. Gates is very pleased at the company’s ability to provide people the opportunity for a career with Gates Home Furnishings, and enjoys sharing the success of the business with staff members, who are likened to family. He finds his job interesting, and enjoys being able to help customers create gorgeous and functional home interiors. There’s also an element of excitement to his career, as the company buys products from all over the globe. Fortunately there are usually no problems with bringing furniture in from other countries, but one shipment from an exotic location did give him an unpleasant surprise - it came complete with bugs that had been hibernating. They woke up upon arrival and tried to chew their way to freedom, but were deported right back to their home island along with the rattan furniture they’d used for their passage.

In order to keep current with the world of interior design, Giff attends the Las Vegas Furniture Show twice a year and sees factory’s representatives every week. He reads a dozen trade publications every month and takes notice when a customer cannot find something they are looking for in the store’s current selections. This dedication to customer service is part of why Gates Home Furnishings is the longest running furniture company in Grants Pass. They have won numerous awards for excellence in furniture and business, including National Furniture Retailer of the Year, a spot in the Top 50 Businesses to Work for in Oregon, and the Oregon Business and Ethics Award.

The newly designed exterior of Gates Home Furnishings is yet another way to show the business is interested in making the people of Grants Pass feel welcome. They wanted to give the store a fresh, updated look while still fitting in with the river town theme. This was accomplished by a complete face lift of the building’s exterior, using a combination of stone, timber, copper, and stucco. Their customers have given extremely positive feedback on the new look since its completion, and many believe it is one of the most attractive buildings in town.

All these customers are important to Mr. Gates. “Without them, there is no Gates Furniture. We try very hard to not just provide furniture to our customers but also focus on developing a relationship with them. They can get furniture from many places, so we try to make the experience here at Gates as friendly and flexible as possible.” It is this attitude that attracts so many to his store, along with their friendly policies such as no hassle returns, buy it your way options, and same day delivery coupled with a low price promise on quality furniture.

Without them, there is no Gates Furniture. We try very hard to not just provide furniture to our customers but also focus on developing a relationship with them. Let’s face it, they can get furniture from many places so we try to make the experience here at Gates as friendly and flexible as possible. Things like “No Hassle Returns,” “Buy It Your Way Options,” and same day delivery coupled with a low price promise make us unique.”

Because it is the people in the community that have made the store successful, Gates Home Furnishings sets aside a generous portion of their profits for nonprofit organizations. They are one of the sponsors of Wellness on Wheels, 31-foot recreational vehicle which is set up as a mobile medical unit. Staffed with local medical and dental care providers, Wellness on Wheels takes education, medical screenings, and preventative care to Josephine County residents who may have little or no access to health care.

Gates has also absorbed over $20,000 worth of furnishing for the new Family House at Three Rivers Hospital. Not only does the company accept the majority of requests for help from nonprofit organizations, Giff Gates believes it is also important to give personal time to the community. His staff is heading up a Relay for Life team, and Giff is active in the Rotary Club. He thanks his parents for having raised him with the understanding that it is important to give back to the community that supports him. Giff looks forward to many more years of successfully serving the community of Grants Pass.

Gates Home Furnishings

• SW 6th and L Streets, Grants Pass OR 97526 541-476-4627
  http://www.gatesfurniture.com/