re: How should this dispute with a furniture store be handled?

I'll play. I won't get into who's wrong or right, you asked how to get it handled. Find the highest ranking person you can. Send articulate email with all the facts. Stay nice! No one wants to help an A Hole. Tell em you're a loyal customer, plan to do business in the future, Yada yadda. Request a mutually beneficial solution. If that doesn't work, start a BBB complaint. Last resort small claims. Basically dont go nuclear when small arms could work. I have had alot of success dealing with companies this way. At the end of the day it's business, treat it as such.