by Juanita | Mar 20, 2021 | Ava Lee's History Corner, customer experience, George's Furniture, Rocking Chairs
Rocking chairs are cherished for their comfortable, gentle rocking ability that calms the nerves of a hard day. Mothers enjoy their newborn babies as they rock them to sleep. This is the story of how the Dubiel family discovered George’s Rocker Recliner.
Rocker’s Lost battle
Dick and Lori Dubiel purchased a rocking chair their home. An unfortunate experience happened to their rocker. Their uncle was rocking comfortably, when the rocking chair lost its battle and broke. Looking through the phone book, Lori found George’s Woodcrafts (presently George’s Furniture)
and visited the store in Elizabethtown, PA, Lancaster County.
Customer Remembers
“My uncle rocked in my not so great rocking chair and as he pushed on the arms to get up, they broke off. I had seen George’s store in Elizabethtown so I went in to ask if he could reattach the arms. As I looked at George’s quality of work, I realized that I did not want him to see my broken chair. Instead, I went and ordered one of his rockers to replace the broken rocker. I wanted a good quality chair that would survive my two boys and George’s non tipping rocker was perfect. I purchased a rocker that George had on the floor.” -Lori Dubiel.
Quality Discovered
As a result of Dick and Lori’s rocking experience, they discovered George’s 
quality furniture. Their first furniture purchase was a walnut oval pedestal table set, dry sink and a crosscut stool. Once placing the order, the couple made small payments. However, as a surprise for his wife, Dick secretly placed additional money on their order. Lori’s mother joined into the fun and purchased her own rocking chair which she past unto her grandson. Five years later a corner hutch joined their collection.
Individual Attention to Detail
George loved to delivery his own furniture. The Dubiel’s remember their corner hutch delivery. Once the hutch was carefully placed in their room, George proceeded to checked all his furniture to be sure that no damage occurred during the Dubiel’s recent move. Years later, the Dubiels moved to South Carolina but remain in contact through George’s monthly newsletter. Discover George’s solid wood furniture in Lancaster County PA today.
by Juanita | Dec 28, 2020 | Ava Lee's History Corner, customer experience, Customization, George's Furniture
David and Angela loved getting away from the stress of the office and the hustle and bustle of life in New Jersey. They enjoyed traveling to Lancaster County to the peace and tranquility of Amish and Mennonite farmland. Their favorite place to stay was the Cameron Estate Inn and Restaurant, Mount Joy, PA. The inn keepers, Abe and Betty Groff, were a delight to talk to which is the main reason why David and Angela’s return year after year.
Hand Engraved Road Signs
Traveling the Lancaster country roads, they often found hand-engraved road signs – George’s Woodcrafts- during their sight-seeing. David and Angela would pass by wooden signs thinking they did not need any birdhouses or small wood crafts. Finally one day they picked up an AAA travel guide and decided to check out George’s Woodcrafts. Were they surprised? George’s did not make birdhouses at all. Beautifully hand-crafted beds, dressers, long extension tables, smaller breakfast tables, tall tables were on display. Desks, bookcases, chairs, rocking chairs, benches, anything one could imagine greeted them-all specially designed to their special dimensions.
Small space challenge solved
Special dimensions were the challenge David and Angela faced. Their small house presented many problems for finding furniture that fit within the space. The search was over. They remember George Martin’s love for design and sharing of his unique designed rocker that did not tip over. He quickly pushed himself way back and it stopped. They could not forget this amazing design. Later a rocking chair found its way into their home. After sharing the history of the rocking chair, George proceeded to begin designing a small shelf that would mount to the side of the Finnegan’s bed.
Natural skill in designing
George’s did not need a picture of design from. He would listen to the customer’s needs and space requirements, then design and draw out a sketch of what was in his mind. David was embarrassed about how much time George devoted to them, designing their little bed side shelf, even this other customers around. The genuine desire to created and solve needs was why the Finnegan’s continued kept coming back for many more pieces of furniture over the years. Each room of their homes has at least one piece of furniture-except the bathroom.
George’s Legacy
Even though George has passed away, his daughter, son-in-law and skilled craftsmen carry the legacy of listening to customers’ needs and creating signed, dated, made by one craftsman, cherished hardwood heirlooms for over 50 years. Visit George’s showroom and see for yourself the Lancaster County quality of that drew David and Angela and captured their hearts.
by Juanita | Jun 22, 2020 | Ava Lee's History Corner, customer experience, Customization
Florida brothers experience George’s Furniture
George got a call late one Saturday afternoon near closing time. “Are you open on Sunday? We just found your brochure and are interested in seeing your furniture. Our return flight leaves for Florida on Monday morning.” replied the caller. “ I am very sorry, but we do not have hours open on Sunday. We would be happy to help you on Monday,” answered George Martin.
Flight changed
So they changed their flight and came into the showroom on Monday morning. A walk through the showroom and wood shop convinced them of our quality, but they wanted a different design for the head-board and foot-board of their king size bed. So George designed his first ocean wave bedroom suite. To the ocean wave poster bed, they added a dresser, vanity and nightstands.
Brother joins excitement
His brother heard about George’s quality furniture and wanted us to build a bookcase wall unit to encase a large fish aquarium. So he shipped the tank to us by freight to assure a perfect fit.
In the next few years, these brothers filled their homes with more furniture. One chose a roll top desk while the other got a computer desk with swivel desk chairs to match. The second brother chose a sleigh bed. A dresser, chest of drawers, night stands and a swivel full body mirror completed the set. Each one got entertainment centers and mantles for their fireplaces. One got an extension table, extra boards and chairs to accommodate guests when they come for dinner. Even their parents got in on the joy of handcrafted furniture, ordering a corner cupboard for their home.
Additional deliveries
We made several 16 hour trips to personally deliver their furniture over the next few years. On one trip, I was privileged to accompany George. I always enjoyed meeting our customers in their homes. After the furniture was safely moved into their homes, they gave us a tour of their massive vegetable fields. We enjoyed small plane aerial view over Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades, Florida.
This was a truly unforgettable experience with a wonderful family of George’s fans.
by Juanita | Feb 24, 2020 | 50th anniversary, Ava Lee's History Corner, Chair, Rocking Chairs
High Chair Designed
There is a saying, “Necessity is the mother of invention”. George and I spent our first year of marriage in the mountains of West Virginia. While there, I became pregnant with our first child. After spending a year there, we moved back to Elizabethtown, PA, Lancaster County in November 1969. George got a job at a saw mill where he learned about grades of hardwood lumber. In April our daughter, Juanita, was born. When she learned to sit up, George and I went shopping for a high chair. After a discouraging time of searching and not finding one that we liked, George said, “I think I will make one.” I looked at him in disbelief.
“I think I will make one.
“Oh yes, George”, I said, “I know that you can make things with wood, but a high chair with a tray? That seems quite complicated.” Well, I have learned not to question my husband when he says he will do something, because there isn’t much that he won’t try and with success. The high chair that he built has survived 4 children and is now in the historical museum section of the showroom. When we have family dinners that require 2 high chairs, the first high chair comes into my house to be used for one of my grandchildren.
Child’s High Chair legacy
After making the high chair, George made chairs for our table, replacing the folding chairs that we had received as a wedding gift. Soon after that, he designed:
- A rocking chair that will not tip over.
- Chairs of all sizes to go with the tables he was making,
- Arm chairs
- Intermediate chair for children ages 3-8.
- Swivel chairs for the bar
- Swivel desk chairs.
All chairs are made with a 2 inch plank bottom seat shaped for comfort, designed for strength. The eight sided rungs create extra strength and are inserted at precise angles, providing long lasting service.
“Necessity is the mother of invention”
It all began because our daughter needed a high chair. Come and explore the new ideas that were started by a unfulfilled need that Georges craftsmen listen and then created one-of-a-kind heirlooms that will serve for years to come. The wood shop and showrooms are located in the heart of Lancaster County’s farmland along the Susquehanna River. Enjoy the peaceful surroundings of nature as you create furniture that meets your need and brings nature’s beauty into the home.
by Juanita | Jan 17, 2020 | Ava Lee's History Corner, Coffee End Table, Customization
Birth of quality furniture
George first began his business in 1972. He made furniture in an old dairy barn wood shop and marketed it at a small stand in Lancaster County. The Gurnsey Barn, was a local venue for country music and local theater nestled along the tourist stretch of Route 30. It was there that George met many tourists and his customer based expanded throughout the east coast.
Wood Shop Tour began
While the customers loved the quality they also wanted to watch the furniture building process. So, in the late 1980’s, George transformed on old 5 car garage, on the farm, into a showroom. The wood shop and showroom together invites the public to watch the craftsman building wooden heirlooms. Tour the wood shop and discover the thought and the skilled design each piece of furniture receives. The craftsman signs and dates his carefully created heirlooms.
Bus, motorcycle, airplane
Many people visiting Lancaster County enjoy the excursion through the rolling farmland of western Lancaster County. They tour the wood shop and purchase solid wood furniture created to their specifications. Although customers often come by car, motorcycle or tour bus, some more adventuresome ones have arrived by bike. They follow the many historical bike routes throughout the county. One couple even landed their small plane at a local airport 5 minutes from George’s Furniture to place their order for furniture.
So with access to the internet, Georgesfurniturepa.com contains videos about how our furniture
is made. Explore the many samples of quality furniture, to inspire new furniture design. Although the website contains a lot of pictures to view, it is only a small sampling of the furniture we make. Each piece of furniture is carefully designed, allowing for the natural wood to adjust to moisture changes. Then it is assigned a skilled craftsman to build. The final step is the application of the craftsman’s signature and dated. Bring in your own ideas and George’s craftsmen will bring those dreams to a reality.
