WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Founder of Benchmark Furniture Robert “Bob” Lee Davidow passed away at his home in Wellington, New Zealand, on Aug. 24. He was 81 years old.
Born on Aug. 20, 1943, in Nevada, Mo., to Morris and Sara Davidow, he grew up in his family’s retail furniture business, Davidow’s Furniture, alongside his brothers, Martin and Jerry. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in business/finance and attended law school at the University of Missouri in Kansas City.
While at the University of Arizona, Davidow met his wife Mimi, and they moved to Kansas City, Mo., where they eventually created a business called Foam City, selling fabrics, foam and supplies for do- it-yourself upholstery, along with casual 1970s style “fun furniture.”
Over time, their family business grew and evolved into furniture manufacturing of custom-ordered sofas and chairs as Benchmark Furniture, with Benchmark Home Fashion Design Centers across the Kansas City metropolitan area in both Missouri and Kansas. The business expanded over the years to incorporate many products sourced throughout the U.S. and the world, eventually culminating in Benchmark Home Furnishings and Benchmark Express megastore and warehouse complex in Olathe, Kansas, that spanned more than 700,000 square feet and employed more than 500 people at its height.
An early and enthusiastic adopter of technology, Davidow also created ventures manufacturing electronics, computers and satellite dishes for the U.S. market in Taiwan.
Together with his daughter, Emily, he co-designed, patented and marketed cabinetry for home theater as Home Cinema Designs and developed the first free-standing home theater store. They also developed Behome.com, a transactional e-commerce home furnishings website.
Davidow also travelled through Europe with his brother, Jerry, to study how to construct and operate state-of-the-art high cube warehouses, which led to the construction of a technologically advanced furniture warehouse offering shoppers the opportunity to “See it, Buy it, Take it” in 15 minutes or less.
After retirement from the business in 2006, Davidow and his wife first moved to Mesquite, Nev., then later to Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Davidow was preceded in death by his wife, Mimi; his parents; and his brother Martin. He is survived by his two children, two grandchildren, his brother and sisters, nieces, nephews and cousins.