While others have tried to imitate, there is only one American Factory Direct Furniture Outlets, Inc..  Owners Bob and Billie Comeaux opened the Mandeville showroom in November of 1996.  Their concept was simple, but unique; offer a designer look at North Carolina factory direct pricing, with local service.  After more than ten years on the Northshore, the Comeaux’s have opened a temporary location in Long Beach, MS.  A permanent location will be opening in April of 2008 at the I-10 Long Beach exit in Mississsippi.  The grand opening ceremony is anticipated for May 2008. In March 2007, they opened a state of the art 65,000 square foot Distribution Center, located in the Tammany West Multiplex, just off I-12 at the Highway 1077 exit.

How did this wonderful legacy begin?  If it’s true that opposites attract, it’s also true that they make great business partners.  Such is the case with Bob and Billie.  “Bob is all about price and I’m all about design.  The combination is what makes our business work” Billie explains.  In 1973, Billie Richardson went on a blind date with Robert Comeaux.  She was the daughter of a Shell Oil draftsman, from whom she inherited an eye for design and detail.  Bob inherited his father’s business savvy and spunk.  Within a year of their first date, Billie and Bob were married. “We went to the furniture market in Highpoint, North Carolina, for our honeymoon!  It’s been furniture ever since,” laughs Billie.

Billie and Bob are both blessed with individual talents, but they are very hesitant to take credit for their successful business.  “Looking back, we can see how God has had His hand on our business and our family,” Billie related.  After being consumed for years in another family furniture establishment, the business closed in the early 1990’s.  What initially seemed to be a major set back for the Comeaux’s, turned into treasured time spent with their children, during the crucial high school years.  “When they were old enough to work alongside us, God put us back in business with our kids,” Billie joyfully adds.  Billie and Bob’s son David graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University with a degree in Marketing and is now the Operations and Inventory Manager.  Their daughter Grace received her degree from Southeastern in Human Resources Management and is now the Human Resources and Administrative Manager.  Their oldest son Robert, III, wife Juliet and son Nathan, reside in New Orleans, Louisiana. He recently graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary and is now the Music Minister at First Baptist Church New Orleans.

“The growth of this company has gone far beyond our expectations,” says Billie.  “I believe God has given us an assignment in this business.  It is through God’s grace that we’ve had the opportunity to positively affect so many lives.  We are also blessed with a wonderful team of employees.”  After thirty-three years in business, faith and dedication have made American Factory Direct one of the most breathtaking furniture showrooms in the region.  From an endless array of accessories, to a wide variety of furniture styles, AFD can help you decorate and furnish your dream home.