This is my experience of buying a Bernhardt leather sofa from Dillard's. I hope that my story would deter anyone from wasting their money by buying any Bernhardt leather furniture.

I purchased, in December 2005 for $2400.00, a Bernhardt leather sofa from Dillard's Department store.

In the summer of 2009, less than 4 years after purchase of the sofa, I noticed that the leather on the seat and back cushions of the sofa was cracking and splitting.

I contacted customer service with Dillard's and sent a letter Nov.19, 2009 to Mark Gastman, District Manager, explaining the situation to him.

He said he would send someone from U.S. Quality Furniture to inspect the sofa and make a report. This representative came out on Jan. 15, 2010. He said that he would make his report and that I should receive replacement covers for the seat cushions and back cushions in a couple of weeks and then he would be out to install them.

On March 3, 2010, Patrick Quinlan, Customer Service Representative from Dillard's, called me and said that their determination was that the damage of the leather was only normal wear and tear and they would do nothing about it.

On March 7, 2010, I sent a letter to each of the following persons with Bernhardt Furniture Co. of North Carolina:

G. Alex Bernhardt, Sr. - Chairman and CEO

G. Alex Bernhardt, Jr. - President, Bernhardt Residential

William B. Collett - EVP, GM, Bernhardt Residential Casegoods

Frank Cooper - EVP, GM, Bernhardt Residential Upholstery

Mark Gastman, District Manager, Dillard's Inc.

FYI, It is just my husband and myself living in our house; we also have a Lazy-Boy leather recliner purchased in 2001, that my husband sits in every day, that does not show any wear or tear to the leather. Consider this information when shopping for leather furniture.