Faced with the decision of changing careers, Rene Levesque decided to do something he knew and enjoyed - he stayed in the same business but became his own boss.

    "I worked in the furniture trade for 32 years and decided I would like to do something other than work for someone else, and basically the only thing I really knew well was furniture retail. I also understand the needs and concerns of customers today." said Rene Levesque. At that point, he and his wife Lise, opened Levesque's Furniture Outlet. "If I'm going to do something, it may as well be something I enjoy" said Rene Levesque, who's success had the business quickly outgrow it's original location.

    With business continually growing since its move to Regina Street, it may soon be facing yet another expansion in the near future of some kind. There is currently 10,600 sq ft. of space stocked with furnishings. It is also noteworthy to mention that you will not find a sales person that is on commission within the store. Rene Levesque went on to say "Really, the concept is trying create substantial savings for the customer, allow them to shop without feeling pressured, and simply make a living for my family and take care of my staff. Canadians are now heading towards hard economic times, and seeking out better savings seems to be on everyones mind. That's something we specialize in, and we are now seeing people come into the store who have never shopped scratch & dent before. They seem to be pleasantly surprised at what they find."

    Levesque's Furniture Outlet seeks out those special manufacturer deals and brings them to the store. Rene Levesque concluded in saying. "I do this by seeking deals from brand-name manufacturers in clearouts, scratch & Dents, and showroom sample sales, and setting it's price based on the cost plus margin, passing along the savings my customers. We're not a chain store, so we can do what we want and set the price as we see fit."

    While the lure of saving money on scratch & dent furniture brought in the first customers, that's changed as customers realized the savings they were making on scratch & dent were also available from other goods that could be ordered. Levesque's Furniture Outlet does not deal in "pre owned" furnishings although the pricing has often been compared to that of second hand merchandise in many cases. The savings are so extreme on many in-store items, they have a first come first serve policy in place. If the customer decides to take a coffee break while they decide on a purchase, they may return to find that item gone.