Now you can order furniture from showrooms he rents and staffs in Freeport, Me.

FORBES: Out of the woods

But Ms. Thompson's warehouse wasn't affected and she was able to order and deliver furniture to clients.

WSJ: Six Months After Sandy, Small Firms Still Struggle

Do home buyers seek square footage for its own sake or in order to separate the pieces of furniture?

FORBES: The House Goes Round

In 1951, IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad branched out beyond the basic business of mail-order Christmas tree decorations, ballpoint pens and bird seeds and added a catalog-only furniture business.

WSJ: IKEA's New Catalogs: Less Pine, More Pixels

She later received a notice from Andrew Allen Furniture , which claimed to have purchased some of DeArthur's open accounts and offered to complete the order if she sent more money.

FORBES: Robbing the Cradle