History of the Barcalounger Recliner

by: Michael O'Brien

From metal bed frames to hand tools and eventually to recliner chairs, the history of the Barcalounger has taken some interesting twists and turns. Unlike other furniture companies, Barcalounger had its roots in metal working.

Edward Joel Barcolo started the Barcolo Manufacturing Company in eighteen ninety six. Based in Buffalo, New York, the company was best known for making high quality metal baby cribs and bed frames. At the time, metal bed frames were a relatively new consumer product and had been primarily an institutional product. An oft recited bit history about the Barcolo Manufacturing is that it is first known American company that allowed its employees to take what came to be known as the coffee break.

Continuing in metal working, Barcolo bought a small hand tool company in nineteen fourteen. Barcolo took over the Charles Hall Company and began turning out wrenches of all sorts. It would be the adjustable end wrench that would become a classic among hand tools.

The tool business would eventually be sold off to a company that would become known as Crescent Niagra, best known the Crescent adjustable end wrench. The Company left its Buffalo factory years ago and is now headquartered in the Rocky Mount, North Carolina. North and South Carolina is the undisputed furniture making capital of America.

Barcolo continued in the metal working business until nineteen forty when the company took a turn towards its future. Dr. Anton Lorenz is credited with developing what his patent application referred to as a “scientifically articulated” chair. Motion chairs were not a new idea in nineteen forty. Since the middle eighteen hundreds, several types of reclining motions chairs had been produced. Even Napoleon III had a reclining chair that doubled as a sleeping cot. Made of steel and upholstered in leather, the chair was portable and quite sophisticated for its time.

The LayZBoy company had already been formed though it was based on a patent that was quite different than the one received by Dr. Lorenz. Barcolo founder Joe Edward Barcolo purchased the patent for the articulating chair and the rest, as they say, is history. The Barcalounger developed into one of the most recognizable brand names in the country, becoming synonymous with the reclining chair. In addition to recliners, Barcalounger offers a line of motion furniture that includes sofas, loveseats and sectional groups.

In nineteen sixty six, Barcalounger introduced what the company describes as “designer recliners” based on the concepts of well known designers. Today, Barcalounger offers customers a wide array of upholstery options including over six hundred different fabrics. In a truly unique way, the Company allows customers to use their fabrics. This program allows Barcalounger customers to use their own materials. Doing so gives the customer a great deal of flexibility in creating a Barcalounger that matches their decorating theme.

In keeping with the ever changing demand for motion furniture and recliners, Barcalounger has responded to the ever increasing popularity in home theaters. In addition to advancements in audio and video component technology, theater style seating adds to the total home entertainment experience. In response to this growing segment of the recliner chair market, Barcalounger offers a fine line of theater seats.

About the Author

Michael O'Brien is Staff Writer for HeavyDutyRecliners.com