I am 30 years old and a RN. In June, I moved to a major city, 4 hours away from my hometown to start a new life for myself. I only had my clothes, bed and dresser. My plan was to start brand new - my old furniture was given away since I had it since college.

A family that owns a retail furniture operation in Chattanooga this year is celebrating 125 years of furniture sales.

The fifth generation family business is now known as Fowler Bros. Co. and operates under two brands, The Furniture Shoppe and The Patio Shop. They are off Fourth Avenue beside Interstate 24.

Carter Fowler, general manager for The Furniture Shoppe, said he has fun helping out customers in the store, but he didn't originally plan to be part of the family business until he realized how much it was ingrained by his upbringing.

"Quite honestly when I got out of college, I did not want to do this, as I was looking for other opportunities," said Mr. Fowler, son of the president, Richard Fowler Jr. "Dad stepped back and let me come on board myself." Carter Fowler's sister Chappell is also involved in the business.

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Research firm Grant Thornton LLP found 90 percent of family companies go bust before a third generation can take over, but Mr. Fowler refers to his two young children as "the sixth generation," noting that they will grow up around hand-crafted chairs, tables, sofas and beds, just as he did.

High quality the patio furniture can be downright expensive. Depending on the style, materials and quality you could easily pay $2,000 for a nice patio set with a patio cover, patio chairs and a patio table.

Considering this price range, most people buy cheap patio sets that will wear out within a few years. The other option is to buy that same high quality patio furniture, but at a discount by utilizing these three easy tips.

Most people fail to realize that using just a few well thought out ideas can save you thousands of dollars not just on patio furniture, but just about every purchase you make. Before buying something expensive think about these things. Is now the best time to buy? Is everything clamoring over the same item? Is this time of year going to be more expensive? Can I buy it cheaper online? Is there a particular model or style that is less expensive this year? Can I buy last years model at a discounted price? Do I want to just buy cheaper discounted patio furniture?

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