Prior to 1955, designers had to travel to New York or Chicago or had a manufacturers’ representative call on them individually with catalogs, photos, and fabric samples. One of those representatives, Ethelbert Crist Dicken, moved to Dallas from Chicago in 1950 to market the Kittinger Furniture Company in the Southwest. Four years later, he approached Trammel Crow about building a decorative center where designers could come to see representatives' merchandise.

Ultimately E.C. Dicken, Inc. was the first tenant of the Decorative Center in Dallas, Texas. The 4,000 square foot showroom featured 10 furniture and floor covering lines. Three of those lines are still represented by the showroom today - Conrad Imports, Friedman Brothers Mirrors, the Griffon Antiques, and Kittinger Furniture Company. Over the years, our inventory has grown to include furniture, lighting, accessories, window treatments, floor coverings, and fabrics from over 40 lines. The showroom is now a 23,000 square foot facility just down the street in the Dallas Design Center.

Over these past 50 years, our family has played a significant role in the Dallas design community. My mom, Janet Dicken, worked in the showroom along with my Dad and managed the business side of E.C. Dicken for almost 30 years. She was involved in many professional organizations including the National Home Fashions League, of which she served as president at one time. Writer Jeanne Barnes of The Dallas Morning News featured the showroom and the Dicken home numerous times. I joined my mom and dad in the showroom in 1962 and have gladly been at the helm since 1974. In 1991, my son, Chris, came on board and hopes to continue the family legacy for the next 50 years.

Buzz Dicken