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 visit showrooms to see merchandise.

In 1955, EC Dicken, Inc. became the inaugural tenant of the original Dallas Decorative Center. The 4,000 square foot showroom was a modest start, featuring ten furniture and floor covering lines. Today, our showroom has evolved and expanded, representing 50 plus brands of furniture, lighting, fabrics, wallcoverings, and window coverings. The showroom, now an 18,000-square-foot facility, is a testament to our commitment to providing a comprehensive design experience.

Over these past many years, our family has been fortunate to play 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. My dad, Buzz Dicken, joined EC Dicken in 1962 and I joined my dad in the showroom in 1991. We moved to the new Dallas Design center in 1992 and have been here for over 30 years. My dad retied in 2017 and I am honored to carry on as the third-generation owner of the EC Dicken showroom.

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, Kim, and we raised four wonderful children together. Kim joined me in 2022 as the office manager and we are fortunate enough to be able to work together and continue to build EC Dicken. Kim received her undergraduate degree from SMU and received a master’s degree from The University of North Texas; she left the school system to join me at EC Dicken.

I enjoy leatherworking, fly fishing, and playing the banjo in my off time. I love my profession and I look forward to continuing working alongside designers and manufacturers as EC Dicken comes up on its 70th anniversary in March 2025. I will do my best to help you and do my best to make my grandparents and dad proud.