Bassett Furniture's first-quarter sales increased 5 percent over its first-quarter 2004 sales, an increase attributed to a 22 percent jump in shipments to the company's Bassett Furniture Direct stores.

That increase was offset by fewer shipments during the quarter to other retailers. Such sales dropped about $5 million, the company reported. Bassett Furniture manufactures and imports furniture and also has a network of dedicated retail stores. The company had 120 Bassett Furniture Direct stores at the close of the quarter ended Feb. 26. Bassett Furniture owned six of those stores. Licensees ran the rest.

Company officials say Bassett's "most significant growth vehicle" continues to be its dedicated retail store program.

Bassett has about 1,960 employees companywide. About 770 work in Martinsville, Henry County or Christiansburg. The company declared last week that it will pay a regular quarterly dividend of 20 cents per share payable June 1 to shareholders of record May 16.

On Monday, Bassett Furniture's stock price closed at $19.05, up 59 cents.

-Duncan Adams