by Juanita | Aug 29, 2020 | Accessories, Ava Lee's History Corner, customer experience, George's Furniture, Gifts, Tables
Quality discovered
The search for furniture is a common need for people all over the America and beyond. Some are looking for furniture that will only last for several years while others are seeking furniture that will be heirlooms and will shine the quality for years to come. The search for the highest quality, solid, hardwood furniture made in America led Linda and Ed Riffert to Lancaster County, PA. After several years of looking in many furniture stores and experiencing disappointment of the quality, they nearly gave up. Is quality furniture still being made these days?
It’s Worth the Wait
During a visit to Kitchen Kettle, Intercourse, PA, they discovered a brochure from George’s Furniture. They followed their GPS clear across Lancaster County, through the cornfields, away from the tourist area and the heavy traffic. It seemed so far away. The GPS said they arrived, but where was the showroom. To Linda’s delight, several small signs stating, “George’s Furniture.” “Straight Ahead”. “It is worth the wait” “Where dreams come true.” greeted them as they made their final journey to the wood shop and showrooms.
Quality Furniture discovered
Finally, a place where quality furniture is made and you can even see it being constructed in the wood shop. The quality was astounding. Ed and Linda worked with George and purchased a large oak corner cupboard for their house. A new cascading LED light is now shining the beautiful grain on Ed’s desk.
Craft Show findings
The Rifferts love attending craft shows and seeing quality items. They continue to stop by our stand at the Kutztown Folk Festival, Heart of Lancaster and the numerous Sugarloaf Shows. They love sharing their experience with George’s Furniture to people at the shows. I enjoy watching their excitement as they share about finding quality furniture.
Sharing with others
Quality is meant to be shared. Recently the Rifferts brought their daughter and son-in-law into the showroom to assist in their new dining table. Quality is passing to the next generation. Come and experience the furniture made by one craftsman while you watch. Contact us or visit our website for ideas of a new heirloom.
by Juanita | May 20, 2020 | Ava Lee's History Corner, customer experience, Customization, Entertainment Centers, George's Furniture
Does real wood furniture even exist anymore?
Meet Charles. He was seeking real wood furniture, an entertainment center, in fact, made of real wood that was high quality, not just a particle board & plywood piece. His search led him to many furniture stores & small businesses around Lancaster, York & Harrisburg. While our area includes many amazing small businesses (there is seriously so much to do here in Lancaster), Charles was having a hard time finding what he wanted. The majority of pieces he found lacked any hardwood elements. Instead he kept finding particle board & plywood pieces, the exact materials he wanted to avoid. If he was going to make a solid investment in his furniture, he wanted to know it would be durable, strong & resistant to warping or breakage.
Then Charles found George
While shopping at Meadow Brook Farmer’s Market in Leola, PA (which has since closed), Charles discovered George’s Woodcrafts storefront. After seeing our display of high quality, solid, hardwood furniture, he picked up a business card and called us. In fact, Charles came to visit our wood shop and showroom located near Maytown, PA, just a short drive from his home. At George’s, Anthony, one of our designers, greeted Charles and gave him a tour of the factory. Charles knew this was the place to get real wood furniture.
The Beauty of Real Wood Furniture Customized to You
Now, time to dive into the George’s Furniture process!
After discussing various dimensions and designs, Charles used his drafting ability to draw up detailed sketches of his entertainment center. Anthony took the sketches, verified the construction integrity and prepared an estimate for final approval by Charles.
Once Charles approved the final plans, one of our skilled craftsmen got to work! Each piece created by George’s Furniture is signed by the creator. You can actually see some signatures of our craftsman right here. Plus the beauty of custom wood furniture is that you, as the customer, can select the wood, stain & design you want. Charles loved the fact that he could choose 100% solid oak hardwood. Since all of the hardwood used at George’s Woodcrafts is native to PA, Charles knew he found the quality he was searching for.
Real Wood Furniture: no going back now
Truth be told, once Charles had that real hardwood entertainment center in his home, he knew he wouldn’t be satisfied with anything less than the George’s Furniture quality for all his future furniture purchases.
In fact, over the many years, Charles did indeed return to George’s to purchase many furniture pieces. Of course, each piece was custom designed & handcrafted according to his desires & specifications. (He is not the only customer who got hooked on George’s custom real wood furniture.) George Martin, our founder, even surprised Charles a time or two by making personal deliveries of the furniture.
Real Wood Furniture: high quality that lasts for years
The amazing thing about high quality real wood furniture is how long it lasts, and when you find the high quality craftsmen that we have at George’s, you just can’t help but bring every project to them. Thirteen years after Charles purchased the original entertainment center, he desired to add three doors to the front. He worked with Chris on the exact dimensions and stain color to match the original entertainment center. The new doors now complete the entertainment center, keeping dust out and components securely stored.
The ability to design and choose the details allowed Charles to create his dream living space. Furniture built with Pennsylvania solid hardwood, made in America and above all will last for decades: That is what we do at George’s Furniture. Order your own built-to-order, custom made to your specifications piece of George’s furniture. Start here with our guide to spotting high quality furniture. Then you can come and see right where your furniture is built or simply contact us.
by Juanita | Apr 19, 2019 | Customization, George's Furniture
Amish Communities
Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana are home to the largest Amish Communities in the United States. The Amish lifestyle consists of plain clothes, horse and buggy, no electricity, one-room schoolhouses, and farming. Over the years they developed a reputation for their quality quilts, furniture, baked goods, and produce. In fact, in 2015, about 8.34 million visitors to Lancaster County directly spent $1.97 billion, creating a total tourism impact of $2.64 billion in the county.
Quality Compromised
Over time, marketing replaced craftsmanship. While a few Amish craftsmen are still producing quality furniture, many stores market Amish furniture devoid of the quality buyers expect. As the perception of the quality Amish furniture increases, the natural result is an increase in demand. This increase brought new systems and processes which dropped the quality of the product. They compromised when materials such as cheaper stains, protective coatings, glue, or hardware. They left the old process of construction behind while newer methods of cheap assembly take over. These newer methods, which use assembly lines and computerized machines, compromise excellence for the convenience of efficiency. Consequently, the quality of hardwood furniture is lost along with the buyers ability to customize their product.
Furniture Experts
Furniture experts pinpoint pieces displaying true quality, handmade Amish furniture. The untrained eye, however, sees little or no distinction. While Amish craftsmen are talented, rarely is the resulting piece considered by furniture experts as constructed by a Master Craftsman. Why does this matter? Furniture crafted by a Master Craftsman ultimately become heirlooms.
Master Craftsmen
Heirlooms are pieces constructed to withstand the test of time and passed down to the next generation. 
Furniture designed, crafted, and assembled by master craftsmen endure the normal wear and tear of daily life. While George’s craftsmen are not Amish furniture makers, we are Master Craftsmen. George’s master craftsmen build each piece to suit the needs of the buyer now and in the future. Forever cherished assets.
George’s Difference
At George’s Furniture, one craftsman uniquely crafted each piece – signed and dated. 100% Pennsylvania hardwood construction—no plywood here! Each item is built-to-order, custom made to your specifications. Visit our showrooms and see the furniture manufacturing! Time-tested construction for over 50 years…that’s the George’s difference.
by Juanita | Sep 29, 2018 | Accessories, Events, Gifts
Summer is winding down, and while we LOVE all things summer here at George’s Furniture, we’re ready for cooler days and fall treats. We’re excited for all the great fall festivals and activities happening all over the county. One such fun event is The Best Kept Secret Tour which is scheduled for October 4th – 20th.
What better way to explore Lancaster Country then visiting hidden treasures like jewelers and boutiques to wineries, farmers markets, and creameries!
So while we can’t say who all is participating we’re happy to give you a minuscule hint…. Your favorite handmade furniture store is in the lineup! That’s right, George’s Furniture is excited to be one of over 40 tour stops on The Best Kept Secrets Tour of Lancaster!
Stop by our showroom for a ticket/tour bag to discover the hidden secrets of Lancaster County. Only ticket holders will see the 40 businesses selected. Each tour bag includes a guide and coupons along with many items from the participating shops.
While exploring, each tour-goer will experience a wide range of entertainments, gifts, refreshments, raffles, tours, demos, and games. A Best Kept Secret tour sponsored drawings for over $1,100 in gifts cards is part of the secret! Tour bags are $10 each and limited in quantity. Visit our showroom at Georges Furniture, 9 Reich’s Church Rd, Marietta, PA or reserve your bag by calling 717-426-1004.
Showroom Hours M-Sa 9-5. Wood Shop tour hours M-TH 9-4, F 9-2.
We look forward to seeing you in October!.
by Juanita | Sep 22, 2018 | Accessories, Events, Gifts
George’s Furniture Featured at Sugarloaf
The Sugarloaf craft show season will be here before you know it and George’s Furniture is thrilled to be part of it again this fall. We meet so many wonderful people and we have so much fun showing off all the wonderful pieces we’ve created. See current show/events schedule.
The Festival brings together over 300 talented artists from across America displaying their creations and attracts over 200,000 total shoppers each year. Shoppers enjoy the unique experience of fine craftsmanship all under one roof and can choose to come for one day or all three. Come meet the artists who are excited to share their passion!
Discover Skilled Artists near you!
2018 Schedule:
- October 12-14, Timonium, MD
- October 19-21, Chantilly, VA
- November 2-4, Oaks, PA
- November 9-11, Edison, NJ
- November 16-18, Gaithersburg, MD
- December 7-9, Chantilly, VA
Check current show/event schedule
New items
Some items you can look forward to seeing from George’s Furniture. This year we’ll be showcasing our NEW LED light. The Cascading Lamp features a levered construction with an LED light illuminating the natural wood grain of the levels below. This design is reminiscent of the beautiful style found at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Waters House. Display a favorite picture, medal, or keepsake on the smaller shelf while enjoying the ambient light and natural beauty. The levered design is also available as a modern wall shelf.
Famous Extension Table
Our world famous extension table will be on display, come experience an extension table that begins as a 4 person table for small gatherings but can later extend over 13 ft with ease and gracefulness to accommodate families and friends. Our table is so easy to open, you simply just grab the end of the table and open the table to your desired length. Seating everyone around one table has never been easier and more comfortable. Stop by our booth to see first hand the natural wood grain beauty and craftsmanship characteristic of George’s furniture.
Can’t attend, come see us in Lancaster, PA
If you can’t make it out to the festival this year, don’t worry! We’re happy to meet you in our showroom and show you these lovely items one-on-one.
Hope to see you out at the Festival!
