Paradise Furniture’s Bruce Davis said it was six years ago when he knew he would never move his business out of Bayside.
In 2006, a massive fire severely damaged the furniture store’s building and destroyed much of its inventory. But Bayside residents came to the rescue and Davis was able to reopen in a larger space just a few doors down from Paradise’s original site.
“The whole community was unbelievable,” Davis said. “There was an outpouring of people to help me out. I had customers offering to give me blank checks. They told me to pay them back anytime. I saw that I could never leave the area.”
Davis’s uncle first opened the store, which is located at 43-23 Bell Blvd., in 1975. For more than 30 years, Davis worked at the shop, starting out doing deliveries with the store’s truck.
In 1995, he took over as the store’s owner.
“We’re not a big chain store,” he said. “We give you the service. My own guys deliver the furniture. If you have a problem, we’ll service it for you. You’re dealing with me, not a salesman.”
Paradise’s inventory includes everything from bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms to mattresses and all varieties of furniture. Davis said he barely takes out any advertising.
“My business is all word of mouth,” he said. “People recommend us to their friends and family. We sell pretty much all types of furniture. We have everything.”
The store also offers furniture for children, including cribs and beds. Its drivers drop off furniture anywhere in the five boroughs, but it also does out-of-state deliveries.
Paradise’s items and delivery fees vary.
“We run the gamut,” Davis said. “We have less expensive furniture for people who need a little less, but we also carry fine furniture. And we offer financing if people need that.”
The store is closed Sunday and Monday. It is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.
