Christmas sales slow for furniture makers

For many furniture makers, this Christmas season has been far quieter than expected.

Workshops that would normally be buzzing with activity are instead unusually still. One of those workshops belongs to Everton Spence, a furniture maker who has operated along Spanish Town Road for more than 30 years.

"Ah the worst mi ever see, and mi been doing this from mi was a boy. Christmas reach and mi nuh even eat no big food," Spence said.

"Christmas normally busy. People throw out old things, some refurbish, some buy new furniture, but now yuh don't even see anybody," he added.

Spence supplies furniture such as chest-of-drawers and dressers to several businesses along Spanish Town Road and in downtown Kingston, but he said that sales remain unusually low.

"Even them nuh have money, so just imagine," he added. Spence said that this time last year he was working late into the night to meet demand.

"Last year, mi would a work till late. Even 100 items dem would order. If mi tell you mi get 10 sales now, a lie," he said, noting that business has declined sharply since Hurricane Melissa.

Another furniture maker known as Barry or Red Rose, who operates along North Street in Kingston, said his customer base consists mainly of household buyers, which brings its own challenges.

"I prefer deal with household people. Dem throw partner and pay half first, then the balance when the furniture ready. [Business people] want bawl down yuh price, and the work hard," he said.

Barry added that price negotiations have become increasingly difficult, especially as much of the labour falls solely on him.

"The youths dem nuh really want this hard work, so some days a just me alone. Yuh haffi do what yuh must do," he said.

For Spence, the slowdown has also affected his employees. He employs three other men, but said inconsistent sales have made it difficult to pay them regularly.

"When dem don't come, mi know dem gone look something else fi do till work come back. But me, mi have to be here, sales or no sales, because a this alone mi know," he said.

While Spence has noticed a slight pick-up in interest in recent days leading up to Christmas Day, he said last-minute bulk orders are unrealistic and physically demanding.

"Maybe people start spend money now, but dem want order nuff items few weeks before Christmas. That not possible. Mi would burn out," he said.

Furniture making requires long hours of standing, designing, sanding, and finishing pieces to perfection, work that Spence said takes a toll on the body. As a result, he has decided not to commit to large last-minute orders.

"I can't complete dem. From December dem a say dem want 100 items and mi done bruk down already. If mi try, mi ago kill myself with work. Mi just give dem what mi have now," he said, gesturing to pieces he was loading for delivery to downtown Kingston.

Looking ahead, Spence said he is pinning his hopes on January, when post-hurricane rebuilding in western parishes may drive new demand from store owners.

"All mi can do is hope and pray," he said.

Similarly, Barry said he is holding on to the belief that the new year will bring a turnaround.

"January haffi better," he said quietly.