Meet Jerry Navarra of Jerome’s Furniture in Torrance

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jerry Navarra.

Jerry, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I literally grew up in this business and it’s a labor of love for me. My parents, Jim & Esther Navarra, launched the company in 1954 and I was the 13th employee when I joined in 1970. We’re now more than 900 strong in 13 stores across Southern California. My children hold key executive positions in Jerome’s Furniture, and many of our employees are the second generation in their family to work at our company. At our core, we remain the same family business that lives and works in the communities we serve. I’m very proud of that.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing in life — or business — is ever smooth, and we’ve seen our share of challenges over the past 60+ years. A more memorable one was when the large national retail furniture outlets started to enter the Southern California market in the 1980s. We were small by comparison, and they saw us an easy target. Several even went so far as to publicly state that they wanted “to put Jerome’s Furniture out of business” and blocked us from dealing with a lot of their suppliers and manufacturers. We responded by staying true to our values of offering everyday low prices without sales gimmicks or empty promises. Our transparent “Real Family Values” mantra has been the cornerstone of our business just as it was in 1954, and has served us well. Oh, and that national company that made it a point to close us down? They went under nearly a decade ago.

Jerome’s Furniture – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We’re a third-generation, family run business. Jerome’s Furniture was founded in 1954 and currently operate 13 home furnishings retail locations in San Diego, Orange, Riverside and Los Angeles Counties. We’re most known as the best furniture retailer for everyday value (“Jerry’s Price”) and a wide selection of products. We’ve been privileged to be recognized with numerous awards and as a Top 50 retailers. In addition to our product selection, Jerome’s offers complimentary design services, furniture removal services and augmented reality software to help customers achieve their optimal look.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My proudest moment is how I and my family are carrying on the legacy of my parents in this business. I have to credit a lot of who I am to my parents. Dad was from the Great Depression era. He knew three languages; Italian, Spanish and English. Growing up in San Diego’s Barrio, he had a strong worth ethic and put family first. I studied hard and never took opportunities for granted because that’s what I was taught by those who didn’t get as many as I did.

Probably the biggest lesson I learned, though, was honesty. It’s easier to do. Lies always catch up with you. People appreciate knowing where they stand and where you’re coming from. Communicating that way has helped us develop great, long-term relationships with manufacturers and customers.

I think you see those lessons in how I act today. I’m not big on titles or fanfare. I love helping people and being straight up with them. Hence the Jerome’s “Everyday low prices” mantra.

My wife and I consider ourselves fortunate to be involved in several charities for education and the underserved. We’ve always put family ahead of everything else. That includes the team at Jerome’s. There were many years where the entire Navarra family made sacrifices for the business and our employees. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Contact Info:

• Address: 18850 Hawthorne Blvd
  Torrance, CA 90504
• Website: www.jeromes.com
• Phone: 858-924-1879
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeromesfurniture/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeromesFurniture
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeromesfurn
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/jeromes-furniture-torrance

Image Credit:
From Left to Right: Mark Navarra (Jerry’s son and Executive VP), Jim Navarra (Jerry’s son and Executive VP) and Jerry Navarra (Chairman)

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