Hi pzjay,
My Mom and I shopped in Hickory and High Point, NC for all of the furniture in my Atlanta home. The prices on high-quality, name-brand furniture were fabulous, as was, needless to say, the selection. That was in the early 1990s.
I drew the dimensions of my rooms on draft paper and took it with me. We spent several days visiting the various warehouse/showrooms. It was fun, educational and very much worth the trip!
BTW, congrats on moving to TV in October.