Metro Awards



View an article about iFurn® Stores (formerly Norris Enterprises) from the Wichita Metro Awards for any of these years:
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006


Chiropractor Branches Out Into Internet Powerhouse

By Kristin Strole

October 29th, 2004 - Wichita Business Journal


Tracy Norris, founder and owner of Norris Enterprises, is a diverse individual --- and his three companies show it. Norris started Norris Chiropractic in 1986. In 1997 he started PainReliever.com®, an online venture featuring retail and wholesale professional pain relieving products such as orthopedic pillows, braces and supports. His iFurn.com, an online furniture business, was created in 1998. The idea for these businesses grew out of Norris’s initial concept for the chiropractic clinic.
  Norris’ chiropractic business, located at 2081 N. Webb Road, treats patients with back and neck problems, as well as other problem areas such as the wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, knee, ankle and foot. While working on the development of the clinic’s Web site, Norris developed the idea for PainReliever.com®.
  “I got a computer in 1996 and a friend of mine helped me use it,” Norris says. “And while I was doing that I discovered that people were selling products on the Internet that I was selling in my store. That gave me the idea to start selling some of the products I used.”
  Today, Norris has a client list that includes hospitals, pharmacies, hotel chains, resorts and doctor’s offices as well as the general public. The facility recently moved to a 5,000-square-foot warehouse to meet its growth demands.
  The company began manufacturing a new product, HotRapps, in 2003. These microwavable wraps are filled with rice and are used to help relieve pain from arthritis, muscle spasm and overuse. Also in 2003, the company obtained distributorships from Biofreeze, Biotone, Mediflow and Earthlite, whose products include massage therapy lotions, crèmes, massage tables and chairs, instructional videos and hot stone massage products.
  Even with a variety of products, Norris was eager to move in another direction. “I wanted to diversify away from pain relief,” Norris says. “So I tried to think of something related to computer software or hardware, but it was too complicated to sell. So I decided to take a step back and decided to give people somewhere to put their computers, and so I started offering computer desks.”
  In 1998 Norris started iFurn.com, which features furniture from several manufacturers including O’Sullivan, Bush Industries, Powell, Bestar, Prepac, HON, Powell Home Furniture and Studio RTA. Norris’ clients include city, state and federal governments, school districts, colleges and new and expanding businesses as well as the general public.
  Norris Enterprises ranked 11th in last year’s Metro Awards, with a revenue increase of 84 percent. From 2002 to 2003, the company more than tripled its work force from five to 18, and increased revenues from more than $1.7 million to $2.5 million. Norris attributes this success to his employees and the products they sell.
 Another reason he says Norris Enterprises is successful is it’s ability to diversify the product line and provide customer service from beginning to end. “Success in businesses comes with listening to your customers and your employees,” Norris says. “Always follow through with the entrepreneurial thoughts that enter your mind. Otherwise nothing ever happens.”