But after the recession ended, in 2010 and even more strongly in the first part of 2011, both the furniture and home furnishing industries have significantly improved.

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Many of those gains were seen in department stores, furniture outlets and home furnishing stores, the trade group said.

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Since opening its first American store in 1985, the low-cost furniture seller now counts 38 stores and has become the second biggest home furnishing company in the US, behind Ashley Furniture.

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Operating in 41 countries, IKEA is a global destination store for home furnishing, appliances, ready-to-assemble furniture, home accessories and kitchen products.

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Saturday evening, the Nebraska Furniture Mart, wholly owned by Berkshire--and billed as "America's Largest Volume Home Furnishing Store"--will offer a barbecue, the "toe-tippin" music of the Acorn Hill Boys and the chance to ride "real live Texas longhorns--ye-haw!"

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