About Us
The Norman Company History
Serving our community since 1948
1948 to 1971
Founded in 1948, The Norman Company is a third generation, family owned company and has a longstanding and rich history in the contract furniture industry. We are the oldest Haworth dealership serving the Northwest Arkansas and Fort Smith areas.
Founder, Morris Norman, arrived in Fort Smith, Arkansas as a soldier at Fort Chaffee in 1944. Upon discharge, he made Fort Smith home and so began a family legacy.
Cook & Norman Typewriter and Office Supply opened in 1948. In the early 1950’s the name changed to The Norman Company. Meanwhile, we continued to evolve to meet business needs. As big box companies began competing for the office supply business, Morris Norman expanded into the arena of industrial leasing of office machines.
(Left: Newspaper advertisement from the late 1940’s)
1971 to 2009
In 1971, Morris Norman turned the company over to his son, Howard. It was now up to the 2nd generation of Normans to continue the legacy. By the 1990’s Howard had completely phased office supplies out of the company to become the first office furniture dealer in the area.
Like his father before him, Howard kept a keen eye on industry trends. As he watched the growth of Northwest Arkansas, he saw the opportunity for expansion. In 1996, we expanded with an office in Fayetteville. As the company and area grew, so did the expansion. In 2003 we moved to Bentonville on South Walton and in 2018 transitioned to our current location on Beau Terre Drive. We also moved our Fort Smith office to Ball Road, which provided a much larger warehousing space and an expansive “working” showroom.
(Right: The Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting at the Ball Road location. Josh Norman holds the ribbon to the left as grandfather, Morris Norman(in wheelchair) and dad, Howard Norman cut the ribbon.)
2009 to Present
In 2009, Howard’s son, Josh, became the 3rd generation of Normans to lead the company. After many years of working alongside his father and grandfather, he is actively engaged in all facets of operation while keeping abreast of a rapidly changing industry.
Today, we are a full-service office furnishings dealership servicing the Northwest Arkansas and River Valley areas in Arkansas as well as surrounding areas in Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas. With a staff of professional consultants and designers, we are recognized across the region as a leader in the office design industry. With two locations and showrooms in Bentonville and Fort Smith, we foster a more comprehensive and convenient customer service experience.
