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In the Third Generation

 

Chris Dicken follows in the footsteps of his father and grandfather to continue on the quality and service the EC Dicken Showroom has provided the design community for over 60 years  

The EC Dicken Story

 

Before 1955, designers traveled to New York or Chicago or had manufacturer representatives call on them individually with catalogs, photos, and fabric samples. One of those road representatives, E C 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 showrooms to see merchandise.


In 1955 E.C. Dicken, Inc. was the first tenant of the original design center in Dallas Decorative Center. The 4,000 square foot showroom featured ten furniture and floor covering lines. Today, our showroom still represents Conrad Imports, Friedman Brothers Mirrors, Kittinger Furniture Company, and Griffon Antiques. Our inventory has grown to include furniture, lighting, accessories, window treatments, floor coverings, fabrics, trims, and wall coverings 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 many years, our family has played a significant role in the Dallas Design community. My grandmother, Janet Dicken, worked in the showroom alongside my grandfather and managed the business side of E.C. Dicken for almost 30 years. She was an active member of many professional organizations, serving as president of the National Home Fashions League at one point. Writer Jeanne Barnes of The Dallas Morning News featured the showroom and the Dicken home numerous times.


Before coming to EC Dicken, I received a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Chemistry from the University of North Texas and was an EMT. I married my college sweetheart, and we raised four wonderful children together. In my off time, I enjoy leatherworking, fly fishing, and playing the banjo. I joined my dad, Buzz, in the showroom in 1991 and worked with him until his retirement in 2017. I am honored to carry on as the third generation of the showroom, and I do my best to make both my grandparents and dad proud.