Herbert Toor, 88; Furniture Retailer

Herbert E. Toor, a founder and director of the Los Angeles Home Furnishings Mart who was among the first to display coordinated furniture pieces in a simulated room environment, has died in his Palm Springs retirement home at age 88. He died Oct. 7 and had lived in Palm Springs, where he was active in many philanthropic activities, off and on for 50 years.

Toor was trained as an engineer but developed an interest in furniture from a part-time job he held in an antique store. He began his Furniture Guild of California in a 30,000-square-foot plant in 1934 and soon expanded it to the 100,000-square-foot Furniture Mart, a giant exhibition building in the downtown Los Angeles area that featured furniture in home-like settings. He retired shortly after being named president of the National Assn. of Furniture Manufacturers in 1964.