by Juanita | Jul 22, 2025 | Ava Lee's History Corner, Customization, George's Furniture, Georges Difference, Rocking Chairs
A simple piece of wood ends up becoming a chair, a table, a part of your home. You can watch as it all comes together in a place that started someplace else almost 50 years ago.
Wood Shop in Elizabethtown
“It didn’t actually start right here. It started in a house in Elizabethtown, where we lived when we were first married,” explained George Martin’s widow, Ava Lee. George Martin had just returned from voluntary service in Honduras. He spent two years carving wood there, and back home in Pennsylvania, he kept at it. It was a hobby at first. “I knew he had an interest in it,” Ave Lee recalled. “He would have made an excellent farmer as well, but it just seemed God kept pushing us this way.”
In 1974, the Martins opened George’s Woodcrafts, now George’s Furniture, in East Donegal Township, Lancaster County, near Marietta. “We want to just show people what we do, which is it’s a lost art,” Ave Lee said. “Not too many people do this.” You can walk through the wood shop. The first thing you’ll notice is the smell. “Right now, you’re smelling some of the white oak and maybe the walnut,” said craftsman Anthony Heisey, our tour guide.
From start to finish, one craftsman works on each piece.
“We built a business on custom tailoring, so if you bring a design sketched on a napkin, we’ll give it a shot,” Anthony said. “We have just larger machines that you commonly have in your basement. They are longer and wider and safer.” On average, a craftsman makes about two chairs a day. A dresser takes about four days and a large hutch about two weeks, and it’s all Pennsylvania-born. He said the saw mills in central Pennsylvania harvest from the Allegheny Forest area.
There’s no waste.
Wood scraps are used to heat the kiln. They create a lot of dust, so the vacuum system changes the air every 20 minutes. You’ll watch as they carve out the furniture, put it together, spray it. It goes into the stock room for delivery.
Our Famous Rocking Chair in Alaska.
“We shipped a rocking chair to Juneau, Alaska. It was ordered from the bottom of a gold mine,” Anthony said. The rocking chairs are rather famous. When George was 12, he went over backwards on one, hit his head and vowed that if he ever designed a rocking chair, it wasn’t going to tip over. George figured it out. So if you go, give it a try.
George died in 2010. His daughter and son-in-law are at the helm now, but George’s love of the art remains. “You can still hear George talking about how to make things, what not to do, and his standard stays with us here,(on our YouTube Channel) and we’ve held that for 50 years,” Anthony said.
WFMZ Channel 69 interview June 20, 2019, Karin Mallet, Updated Oct 1, 2019
by Juanita | Jun 17, 2025 | customer experience, Events, George's Furniture, Georges Difference, Tables
Our craft shows are a great way for customers to see, feel and touch the furniture. The “No More Water Marks” demonstration grabs the attention of the customers who can’t figure out why someone left water on this beautiful furniture.
Walnut Blend on Table with clear water resistant finish repelling water.
However, the water demonstration was not what caught Barry’s attention as he walked through the show.
Extension table magic
A 4 foot table that can extend up to 12 feet, caught Barry’s attention. The possibilities of what he could do to gather his whole family around one table, whirled around in his mind. A table to use everyday and during the holidays is an amazing idea that he could not pass up. The ease of extension increased the desire to add this table to his home. If he moved to a small house in the future, a smaller table would fit in the new home.
Amish furniture disappointments
Barry and Sabina love quality furniture and purchased Amish furniture in the past, however they were disappointed in the customer service and quality of the furniture.
“It is hard to find genuine people who want to help furnish your house with quality heirlooms,
not just selling you furniture.”
Visit the showroom/woodshop
The Shapiros kept the Georges Furniture brochure handy and eventually took a trip to see where the furniture is made, Marietta, PA in Lancaster County. George’s salespeople listened to Sabina’s furniture requests, walked through every detail of making handcrafted solid wood furniture and helped them decide the best combination of wood and stain to match their living area. They even gave a personalized wood shop tour where the craftsmen make one piece of furniture at a time and sign, date each piece.
In the showroom is where they first saw the corner cupboard, perfect for their home. An expandable table, 6 leaf storage cabinet and corner cupboard were delivered to their home. They have filled their table for a birthday party, Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. Their fine China is neatly displayed in the corner cupboard protected from dust and accidental flying objects.
Return to see more quality
The Shapiros keep coming back to our Chantilly, VA craft shows to see us and dream about new furniture. The beauty of wood grain draws you in and the quality of outstanding. The joy of quality furniture is contagious. Barry and Sabina love to share the quality they found at Georges Furniture with their friends and family. Visit our website georgesfurniturepa.com for more quality or make the trip to see where our furniture is made and where dreams come true.
by Juanita | Nov 29, 2024 | Ava Lee's History Corner, customer experience, Furniture Care, George's Furniture, Georges Difference, Tables
Solid hardwood will receive dents and scratches over the years of hard use. While the dents can be raised out (see instructions for minimizing dents), the accumulation over time may require refinishing – complete sanding and a new finish. Some people like those “memory marks” on their table while others want to see their old table new again. Not only are Georges Furniture tables protected with a durable water-resistant finish they can be refinished after years of hard use.
Refinished
After 18+ years of enjoying their Georges Furniture table, Rob and Melinda wanted to refinish their beloved table. They also loved the two-tone style, where we used two different stains or a combination of two different woods and stains. While we refinished their table we added a different stain to parts of the table for a two-tone look.
Word of Mouth
How did Rob and Melinda first find out about George’s quality handcrafted furniture. A different way. Yes, word of mouth is a great way to share the discovery of quality handcrafted furniture in Lancaster County, PA. One day a contractor who was doing work at a post office started a conversation with Rob, who drove a truck with the postal service. Rob shared his quest for quality furniture and the contractor said you must check out Georges Furniture in Marietta, PA near Maytown.
Narrow Table Search
Rob and Melinda searched around the furniture stores for a narrow table to fit in their space. 38-inch-wide table is not an easy size to find. They wanted to use some money that their mother gave to them. It is hard to find quality craftsmanship and custom sizes.
Love at first sight
The minute they walked into George’s showroom they knew this was what she was looking for in size and quality. To be able to customize everything was unheard of in normal furniture stores. Rob and Melinda spent hours looking over the many options and decided on a perfect size, wood, leg style and edge. She gets compliments on the long overhang on the ends of her table. This space is great for the ladies who like to cross their legs. The tabletop needed to be wide enough to fit a meat platter and two dinner plates yet still small enough to fit in their dining area.
High Lights
Melinda remembers what impressed her most about Georges Furniture.
- Strength Test – 13 People standing on top of an extension table.
- A table that kept on extending – up to 21 feet.
- Wood shop tour
- Top quality craftsmanship
- Attention to detail
During deliver the delivery man accidentally scratched the table with his watch and took it back to be repaired. Melinda questioned why the table even needed to go back.
Customer Service
“The customer service is top notch.” -Melinda.
From visiting the showroom and wood shop to exploring the details of furniture on the order. We design, build and deliver our furniture. The service exceeds expectations.
by Juanita | Nov 1, 2024 | Ava Lee's History Corner, buffet, Chair, customer experience, Customization, George's Furniture, Georges Difference, Tables, Wedding Registry
We never know how our customers first discover the exceptional quality at Georges Furniture. Is it through a friend, craft shows, website, picking up a brochure in Lancaster County or PA visitor centers?
“Tripped” over a Table”
Tom and Teresa will not forget their experience for a long time. They were attending a craft show at Gaithersburg, Maryland. The fairgrounds included multiple buildings and outside horse stalls and barns. Tom recalls walking through the various craft vendors, distracted by the individual crafts. In one crowded building, the crowds parted slightly, and he “tripped” over a small dining table extending to a massively long table that could hold his ENTIRE family. And what beauty. The grain lured him in, and he had to touch it to see the authenticity.
Extendibility
Tom and Teresa were looking for a long table that could hold their growing family. Until finding the exceptional quality and versatility of this extension table, they did not know if their desired table style even existed. Here was a table designed to fit whatever length they needed. The excitement mounted. Custom made Furniture with such outstanding craftsmanship.
Exceptional Craftsmanship
They were so impressed with the quality of craftsmanship, length adjustability and the customization, that they ordered it right on the spot. After spending some time on all the details- leg style, edge style, wood, size, number of leaves, deluxe leaf storage cabinet and 4 chairs-they placed a deposit, and the anticipation began. Several months later, a beautiful dining set arrived. The dining table serves the family very well after all these years.
Wood Shop Visit
6 years later, they made the 2-hour trip to see the woodshop in Lancaster County. Their perception of quality grew as they saw the precision and detail each craftsman puts into each piece they make. From picking the wood to building the furniture, putting on hardware, to signing and dating, the craftsmanship exceeds expectations.
I fell in love with the table. Every time I see the table in my house, I fall in love all over again. – Teresa.
Tom remodels houses for a living and understands woodworking and the skill of making solid hardwood furniture. He respects the craftsmanship.
Future Plans
This time they have their eyes on a long buffet and console hall table. The black stain coupled with the walnut blend, use of natural dark and light color of walnut, captures the desire for natural beauty. In the future a bedroom suite is next.
It is dangerous to find such quality handcrafted furniture.
You look at furniture a whole new way.
Visit our showroom and woodworking shop to see the quality found by so many satisfied customers.
by Juanita | Jul 16, 2024 | Ava Lee's History Corner, customer experience, Customization, George's Furniture, Georges Difference, Hutch, Tables
Jim and Barb had some large walnut trees on their property. They were covered with wild grape vines stunting their growth and yielded less light sap wood. The trees needed to be taken down to clear the brush for their new house. Jim decided to have the trees cut into boards in hope to have some furniture made in the future. He put sticks between the layers of wood so that the boards could dry and stored the boards in barn.
Natural Grain Catches the Eye
During Labor Day weekend, Jim and Barb were browsing some local artists at a craft show, Heart of Lancaster, in Manheim at Roots Country Market. Something caught their eye -what beautiful grain. Immediately they recognized the black walnut grain, however instead of using just the typical brown heart wood, this artist was using the lighter blond sap wood as well. The beauty drew them in. They just had to touch it. The table was not just beautiful, but it also had real water sitting on top of it. What? Why would someone leave a wet glass of water on the table. Something was wrong.
NO More Water Marks
Walnut Blend on Table with clear water resistant finish repelling water.
Nothing was wrong. This was a water demonstration showing how the catalyzed finish was preventing the water from being trapped under the finish. But that was not all that caught their attention. This small almost square table could extend to hold all their family for the holiday gatherings. No one had to sit at the “kids” table anymore.
Made from Customers Wood
They were sold. The wheels started turning in Jim’s head. He had some dried walnut lumber stored in the barn. “I wonder if I could use my wood to have my dining room set made. -Jim He had considered using the wood for a grandfather’s clock but when he saw this extending table he knew a dining table set was a much better use for the wood. George used Jim’s wood and supplemented with the missing thicknesses of wood needed to complete the table.
Personal Attention to detail
They worked with the design team at Georges to finalize all the unique details for their dining table set including a hutch. What leg style, edge, shape, color combination- black stain and natural walnut- hardware and table/ hutch size. The craftsmen used as much of Jim’s dried lumber and supplemented with wood thicknesses not available in his wood. What a blessing to know that the wood from their property was preserved in their new dining table, chairs and hutch.
Each holiday the Landis’ enjoy gathering the family around their walnut table, knowing that they don’t need to worry about water ruining their table. When the family goes home, the table leaves return to the beautiful leaf storage cabinet and the table is a nice size for two or four people.
See for yourself!
We invite you to visit our showroom and wood shop, browse the quality furniture and let the imagine run to see what new piece meets your needs like the Landis family experienced. Or come to a craft show near you. See our upcoming show schedule listed on our website.
