By Raymond Hainey
Copyright caymancompass
Caymanian enterprise Tomlinson Furniture is celebrating 50 years in business.
And Renee Whorms, the general manager and third generation of the family-owned firm, said the key to success was getting “the best product at the best price”.
She added, the company, which also includes The Mattress Gallery and Custom Interiors, had been affected by US tariffs, but that it has continued to thrive since her grandparents Anthony and Chrissie Tomlinson started the business, now owned by her mother, Jacqui Tomlinson-Smith.
“There is a warm atmosphere when people walk through the door. We’re big on greeting our customers. It really goes back to my grandfather and really connecting with his community. He really created a great foundation for us,” she said.
She also attributes their focus on customer service to the company’s success, “It’s about listening to our customers. We tell them customers are our business. It’s about the right product, at the right price and making sure the service is there. We don’t just end with the sale,” she said.
The business first started trading at the George Town waterfront in the 1970s as a general store, “with furniture, mattresses and bicycle sales and repairs”.
“In the ’80s, it became more furniture, mattresses and appliances,” said Whorms.
The firm moved to its present site on Walkers Road in the 1980s and its present building, put up in 2014, now has a floor dedicated to mattresses and bedroom furniture and another to living rooms, dining rooms and accessories.
There is also a separate Custom Interiors showroom, showcasing some of the company’s room layouts and which offers a personalised one-on-one interior design service.
Improved technology
Whorms started working for the family business 18 years ago and says a lot has changed. “When I joined, we didn’t have computers. I switched over,” she said.
She said mattress technology had improved enormously over the years and – in line with an ageing population – furniture and beds with powered options to help older people were becoming more common.
Whorms said that a trend towards working from home, which started during COVID, had brought increased sales of home office furniture.
Looking towards the future, she does have concerns about the economy and the increase in the cost of items. “When you see supermarkets saying sales are down, you start to feel a little worried, ” she said.
But she remains optimistic. “We are still doing well, but I definitely see a difference. We still do really well in mattresses. Furniture is where there seems to have been a bit of a dip. I would say ‘levelled off’.
“We had a great anniversary month in August and a great anniversary sale and we know the summer months are slower, so sales have levelled off more than anything else.
“I’m a very positive person and I see 2026 being a great year. September through to December is our best time. US tariffs have had an impact, but that will level off too.”
She added, “We’re grateful to be in a position to be able to fight through the harder times and that comes with experience and from being in the industry so long.”
‘A place to escape’
Whorms also noted an increasing population meant a larger market. “Cayman is growing. Everywhere you look, you see construction on the island. More and more people are focusing on lifestyle products.
“People have stressful lives, and our homes are becoming more of a retreat for us. Whether it’s one room at a time or a whole home, people are creating a place they can escape to.”
Whorms has three children, and they are already getting involved in the company. Her 17-year-old son is helping out in the marketing department and the others have also spent time in the business.
“We have high hopes for the future. It’s all about making the right choices on the product side and at the right time. We hope to be here for the next 50 years, if possible,” said Whorms.
