Amish Country Furniture builders introduce exciting new upholstered lines!
“A Furniture Show in Every Issue.”
Volume 12 | Number Three 2024
Jerry Klingerman: Owner, Publisher
Karen Yoder: Publication Coordinator/ Graphic Artist
Meredith Klingerman: Assistant Editor
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The other shoe...
We steadfastly avoid politics whenever and wherever possible in this magazine, and this issue is no different. But it’s no secret that we have a huge election coming up, and it’s equally no secret that this election is a showdown of vastly divergent ideologies.
Unfortunately, it’s also no secret that retail sales and wholesale orders of big-ticket items often lag during our quadrennial election cycle. Such is the case right now. Mostly, it’s just the uncertainty of it all that causes consumers to reign in their spending.
As I shared with a few clients recently, once the election is over, at least we’ll know. Meaning, whichever party/ideology wins out with the American people, we’ll have a pretty good idea of what direction our nation will take for the next four years (or at least the next two; considering that mid-term elections always are considered a referendum on the current administration).
Whatever happens, and whatever our own individual predictions, beliefs, etc. we will have some answers after Nov. 5. I know this will be a somewhat controversial statement, but after that — however it goes — we all can breathe a collective sigh of relief, and begin to look toward the next year, and the next four years.
Yes, we’re all hopeful that the Federal reserve will loosen interest rates. If that happens, I think we’ll see a couple key events in the housing market: Mortgage rates will naturally fall, allowing into the market first-time homebuyers who are right now on the edge of affordability. Depending on how quickly and by how much rates fall, we also might see a rush of sorts on refinancing. But also, existing home prices probably will begin to stabilize or even fall (which already is happening in some markets) and larger builders who have, for the most part, been reluctant to construct homes, might get back into the market.
As we discussed in a previous issue, our nation is currently millions of houses short on the supply side. (Depending upon the source, we’re four to seven million homes short.) That’s the major reason existing home prices have skyrocketed — there’s simply not enough homes to go around for the number of buyers in the market.
No one knows exactly what’s going to happen now, in November or after that. But if I were to hope out loud, a stable economy with growing consumer confidence would be at the top of my list.
Need a revenue boost? Consider a “Private Letter Sale ”
NBy Jerry Klingerman
ot long after I got involved in the local furniture industry, I was a paid marketing consultant for a successful retail store that sold Amish-built furniture.
The owners (who were Amish) were very forward thinking, and we always had good ideas and brainstorming sessions about how to increase sales, or make our regular marketing efforts, such as the anniversary sale, more effective.
One of the most successful things we ever did is something that you may or may not be familiar with: The Private Letter sale.
Other than an anniversary sale, this is by far the most effective use of an existing client list that I’ve even seen. We did it for a number of years, and it
always produced well.
The idea is pretty straightforward: You print up a simple one-page letter, and mail it to your existing customer list, inviting them to a special “private” sale to be held one day only, for just a few hours, after your normal business hours. You also make special offers in terms of pricing, financing, etc.
The message
The message itself should be clear, concise and quick. The whole thing should take no more than one side of an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper. Two sides at the very most.
The format should be a letter — NOT a sales flyer. This is really important! If people have the perception that you actually took the time to write a letter, stamp it, write out their address, etc., then
those personalization techniques can pay off.
So, keep the graphics to a minimum, and make the text clear and brief. Again, we want customers to think you sent them a letter, not a sales flyer.
If you feed them they will come
Other than pricing or perhaps financing incentives, you have to offer some type of incentive for people to show up. My client tried a number of things, including having regional radio personalities do an appearance and live remote. This was before Spotify and satellite radio changed people’s listening habits, and I’m not sure the same thing would work as well today as it did then — but we filled the entire parking lot, and more.
One thing we always did was very simple: Feed them.
For the Private Letter sale we brought in a local family that made homemade ice cream with one of those “hit and miss” engines. You’ve probably seen them at fairs, carnivals, etc. This particular family is well-known for their ice cream, and for the Private Letter sale, it was a big hit.
dotally, a colleague of mine with decades of marketing experience attended the meeting and asked someone why they came. His answer was simple: “They invited me.”
Granted, we spent a lot of money on that endeavor but my point is, people will always turn out for free food. Always. With the advent of food trucks, and the wide variety of offerings, you might find this a viable option for your sale. That depends on your budget, but if you can justify the expense it might be worth it. You can clarify that the invitation/free food offer is good for two adults only, and hand out tickets to redeem for food.
Getting the letter opened
“There’s less clutter in people’s mailboxes, so your message is very likely to be seen. Some estimates report that direct mail open rates are as high as 80-90 percent; and that’s across all demographic groups.”
It’s surprising that people will take the time, and drive, for free food. But they will. I experienced that in another arena as well: I was Communications And Marketing director for a local electric cooperative, whose annual meeting usually never drew more than 100 or so people, and definitely skewed to a much older demographic.
My first year in the position, we sent a special invitation to all the members, and invited them to a full, free barbecue chicken dinner prepared by a well-known local company. The meeting attracted more than 1,000 people of all ages, and has consistently performed at that level ever since. Anec-
There are a number of things you can do to get people to open your letter.
First, use “real” postage. That is, don’t use any kind of bulk mailing method. This is important! Consumers today are savvy, and can spot “junk mail” pretty quickly. The simple act of using a real stamp can increase open rates quite a bit.
Depending upon how much staff time you can devote, and how big your list is, you also can handwrite the address on the envelope. Now, that’s a big task in some cases, and it isn’t 100 percent necessary. But if you have the time and staff to do it, people will recognize that you’ve taken the time to send a “real” letter, and are far more likely to open it.
Mail volume is down
In a world where marketing largely depends upon Internet, email, texting and social media, it’s no surprise to learn that the volume of mail handled by the USPS has gone done in recent years — and rather dramatically at that.
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The volume of mail delivered by the USPS peaked at 213 billion First Class pieces in 2006, and dropped to almost half that level in 2023: 116 billion.
A number of factors are responsible for this, but probably the number one reason is online bill paying and banking. There are all kinds of statistics out there, but our research reveals that 75% of Americans pay at least one bill online. Another source reveals that approx. 75 percent of people pay all of their most common bills — utilities and credit cards — online. It’s safe to assume that a large percentage of people are doing so via paperless methods, meaning they no longer receive a paper copy of those bills.
All this to say, there’s simply less clutter in people’s mailboxes (far less, if you factor in the USPS numbers), so your message is very likely to be seen. Some estimates report that direct mail open rates are as high as 80-90 percent; and that’s across
all demographic groups.
Digital followup
If you want to give your message a “one-two punch,” you can follow up electronically, either by email (easiest) or text messaging. If you have that information (email address and/or mobile number) you can send out a quick “reminder” message several days before the sale.
If you don’t have that kind of information, you can start gathering it with every new sale. Generally speaking, consumers will give out an email address if you simply ask. Just make sure you let them know that they’ll be added to your email list.
Timing
If you’re using a First Class stamp as recommended, and most of your customers are fairly local, you can count on a two- to four-day window for them to receive your letter from the time it’s mailed. Given that, you should plan for the letter to be in the customer’s hand two, to no more than three weeks, ahead of the sale. Any longer, and people will set it aside, thinking they have plenty of time. A slightly shorter window creates a sense of urgency, and is more likely to get them to write down the date or put it in their electronic calendar.
It’s Private
Speaking of urgency, one of the key points in your letter must be that the sale is not open to the general public. You can emphasize that by holding the sale after your normal hours. Also, the sale should last only two to three hours. Again; we want to create a sense of urgency, and make the customer understand that this is no ordinary sales event. Be creative! Call it the “After Hours Private Letter Sale,” or something similar.
Psychology being what it is, consumers want to feel special, as though they are getting special treatment. And, of course, with this method they are.
Also, it’s important to emphasize the “private”
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Upholstered Furniture comes of Age in Ohio’s Amish Country Furniture District
Local legend has it that Ohio’s Amish-built furniture industry began organically when, somewhere in Holmes County, one neighbor asked another to build his family a kitchen table. The result was well-received, and soon one person, then another, then a number of people asked that same person to build tables for their respective families. Word spread, and soon other local craftsmen began building furniture.
We always talk about the fact that the Amish “brand” has grown so large because of the individ-
ualized attention to detail that each piece receives, as if it were going into the craftsman’s own home. And, if legend is to be believed, it makes sense. Every individual craftsman stood behind his work, combining a traditional work ethic with the skills of a true craftsman.
Word of mouth grew outside the area, and over the years more and more craftsmen began constructing hand-built furniture (at that time with only hand tools). Slowly, steadily, an industry was born.
A generation or two later, when the Baby Boom
generation discovered the high-quality hardwood furniture being made here. the real boom hit. In particular, the 1990s saw exponential growth in the industry, and not only did dozens of new shops spring up, but also, the majority of those craftsman adopted a “wholesale only” business model.
For many years, practically all of that furniture (with a few notable exceptions) was solid hardwood — meaning no upholstery. The notable exception was and is the handful of manufacturers who have been making rockers, glider rockers and variations of those items, as well as “Craftsman” style items: upholstered seating surfaces with exposed solid wood arms and other legs.
In years past if someone asked if furniture makers here in Ohio’s Amish Country made upholstered furniture the answer was, “Well…kind of,”
with reference to the aforementioned items.
Up until the last few years, in fact, there weren’t many options when it came to finding fully upholstered sofas, love seats, etc. here in Ohio’s Amish Country Furniture District. But today, the landscape is changing. Several local manufacturers have introduced exciting new collections of fully upholstered furniture lines.
For the most part, fully-upholstered from-scratch furniture is a relative newcomer. That being said… Wow! Some of the newest offerings would have you thinking that the builders have been making these styles for years.
(Side note/spoiler alert: The face of our local industry is changing in other ways, too, and in recognition of this, The Ohio (Hardwood) Furniture
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The Biltmore Collection from Quality fabrications is one of several “from the ground up” upholstered collections being offered by the company whose seating options previously specialized mostly in Craftsman-style pieces which combined upholstery and exposed wood (See ad on back cover).
<<<The Europa bed from Farmside Wood nerstone of a collection that features rounded cor ners and edges, giving it a “soft,” contemporary feel. The headboard and footboard resemble slats, and looks great alone, or in combination with the case goods from the rest of the collection.
— See ad on page 24
>>>Looking for nextlevel com fort in a low out the Edleweiss Tu (EDT57) from Buckeye Rockers. It’s the lowback counterpart to their popular Tufted Executive Chairs. Shown here in Brown Maple with OCS Onyx stain, and L520 Mushroom leather, it’s sure to provide hour after hour of comfort. — See ad on page 46
<<<Criswell Furniture breathes new style into the traditional daybed! The #1226 with back is sturdy, but attractive, and features cushioned fabric on the sides and back. The #1228 is even more elegant, with its panel design. Both models are available in a wide variety of wood and stain tional trundle. — See ad on page 32
^^^Your customers are sure to love the Orchid Collection from Country Comfort Woodworking. The table features angled legs that are almost like pencil poststyle, which is continued in the front legs of the matching chair. The chairs feature thin, curved slats and a scooped seat. The styling on the entire set is clean, understated and timeless. Shown in Rustic Hickory and OCS 119 Capuccino stain. — See ad on page 28
Simple, but elegant. That’s how we describe the Orlando chair from Wengerd Wood With a comfortable upholstered seat that showcases a rounded back,combined with a lower frame in the back legs, this model also has a small footprint, and can be ordered in a variety of fabric choices to complement any room. See ad on page 7
<<<The #NP 400 glider Gliders By is the perfect solution for those who want to comonal look with updated comfort. The high back broadens out, while the cushioned seat provides excellent comfort. Relax while you swivel an glide! — See ad on page 21
>>> If you’re serious about maximizing your stor age op
Superior Woodcra lots of room for jewelry — accessed via the slid ing mirror — it also provides a hidden com partment that’s perfect for storing long guns and handguns!
>>> Cushioned. Floating. Undisturbed. Temperature regulat ing. The Fuchsia collecti tomers wanting a mattress with the ul The Fuchsia and Fuchsia Duo both have two with the Fuchsia Duo being a double flippable mattress. — See ad on page 16
<<< The Ellington collection by Y&T Woodcraft allows you to create a uniform look throughout your living room with coffee, end and sofa table, as well as an entertainment stand. The entire collection features turned legs, which are carried through as accents on the entertainment stand, and an exciting “beaded Brown Maple,” which creates an excellent accent on all the pieces. (Shown in too Red Oak and OCS341, and beaded Brown Maple. — See ad on page 25
Diamond Sleep is the newest addition to the 19model collection at Country Bedding
Using their softest padding on a combizoned pocketed coil innerspring offers a soft surface with good support (their softest!). Can be used on a box spring or adjustable bed base. See ad on page 21
Farmside Furniture ons, including the 42 Morgan Storage bench. Shown here in an attractive OCS Smoke finish, it features two inset drawers, which provide a handy spot to put gloves, hats or even shoes. This a is at home in the entryway, mudroom or even bedroom — any place a little extra stylish storage space is needed. — See ad on page 20
n Chair by Hickory Lane Woodworking features dual wide, curved slats in the back, and a scooped seat, both of which add up to a comfortable chair that goes with any table. The curved top offers a stylish air, and perfectly complements the design. — See ad on page 25
^^^New for 2024! The Albany set from Hillside Chair features a lumbar support in the back, making it a very comfortable selection. The rear legs are flared, and the top shows a slight curve, while the slats are angled slightly in toward each other. This stylish model goes with nearly any table choice and is sure to be a customer favorite! — See ad on page 33
bold, massive legs. A truly stylish design for those who want to showcase a piece of America’s heritage in their dining room. — See ad on page 39
The Millcreek Chair from Pioneer Woodworking is a best seller, and it’s easy to see why. It features a clean, stylish design and goes with almost any table. Plus, it has a great price point. Shown here in Brown Maple and Ebony, you can nish it to match a table, or provide a contrast. — See ad on page 45
legs and slats, the Tulip Dining set from Deer Valley Woodworking draws heavily from the MidCentury Modern period. The table is available in a variety of sizes, and is sure to be a hit with customers who appreciate the clean, simple lines of this popular style. — See ad on page 37
>>>There are a lot of de sign elements at work inon from Troy Lane Woodcraft. The appealing combina of inset drawers, thick tops, a storage shelf in the base and truly unique legs are sure to make this collection a hit. The collection includes sofa, coffee, chair side and end tables. — See ad on page 16
Ashery Oak in troduces the Santa Fe Desk and Hutch, which is an excellent option for home ce, or anywhere you want both storage and style. Inset drawers and doors, adjustable shelving and traditional styling are just a few of the things we like about this piece. — See ad on page 43
— See
>>> The Glen Canyon Collection from Meadow Wood Furniture features an eyecatching combination of Barn Floor/Brown Maple. The traditional styling includes a high headboard, with the set also showcasing a roomy ninedrawer dresser and mirror combo. An excellent choice for a cabin, vacation home or anywhere you want a rusticstyle look.
ad on page 29
<<<The Millsdale Chair from Farmstead Acres was a hit at the recent Ohio Hardwood Furniture Market, and it’s easy to see why. It features a deep scooped seat for commeless design makes it an easy fit with any — See ad on
>>> It is really difficult to pick out a favorite design here at Gable Valley Wrought Iron, but the Ironcliff drinks table just might be it. It's decidedly sculptural feel, with the rolled edge metal top and intertwining loops make it simply one of a kind. Available with an allmetal top, or a screw plate for attaching your choice of wood, the Ironcliff is the perfect blend of style, uniquity, and function. See ad on page 11
>>>The Mission Reunion collection is just one of many offerings from Countryside Tables. Beginning with the trestle table, this set is designed to be reminiscent of a timetested dining set, and features rounded edges with a rubthrough look on both the table and chairs. The chairs have narrow, curved Missionstyle slats and a scooped seat for added comfort. burnished edges — See ad on page 11
<<<The Anover set from Finishing Designs is a simple, classic design that works with many different decor styles, and it’s the newest set available in our instock Quick Ship sets! Quick Ship sets ship go on the next truck after order is received; times vary from 2 to 3 days. — See ad on page 37
<<< If you’re looking for maximum comfort from a poly outdoor chair, look no further than the Fan Curved Back Swivel Glider by Amco Outdoor Lawn Furniture. This model has a curved back for lower back support and is consistently a very good seller. Contact us for color choices. — See ad on page 33
Oak and OCS 113 (Michaels), gives it the true “Cra sman” style that is the hallmark on the Mission style — See ad on page 20
>>> Five Star Tables Buckeye Single Ped table. This piece draws you in with its large tulip base and two the most impressive feature is the fact that the base and top are solid wood all the way through!
See ad on page 13
>>>The Centre Cof fee bar from Quality Wood Products for eliminating countertop clutter — and easy access for your morning coffee. It features sleek inset drawers designed for KCups, a trash can in one door and storage on the left side. Need a phone charge? There also are two handy USB ports! — See ad on page 35
>>> The Coastal Chair from Hidden Hollow Wood and Upholstery is a comfortable, modern and stylish design. The cushioned seat offers maximum comfort, while the angled legs make for an eyecatching design. — See ad on page 28
^^^Frog Pond Furniture reports that its Weston Collection bedroom was a good seller, and a close look shows why: Its squaredff designs are part modern and part MidCentury. The case goods feature large inset drawers with wroughtstyle hardware (and large handles on the dresser) and the headboard breaks up the design with its angled slat look. A classic example of an appealing, understated style. — See ad on page 2
ng new forray into fully upholstered furniture including the Fusion Secful wood ac
The Lincoln Dining Arm Chair and Side Chair are just two of the many choices from Shady Lawn Oak, which has been building highquality solid wood chairs since 2002. Contact them for a catalog with all their latest styles — See ad on page 36
Ridge View Woodworking just introduced the brand new Harrison set, an exciting new collection that features a bar height table and chairs. The set is accented by a twotone finish, with complementing rubthrough on the chairs and table base, a table top with rounded edges and chairs with a slightly bowed top. Shown in RoughSawn QSWO and OCS 113. — See ad on page 36
>>> Rounded edges, inset drawers and antiquelook hardware are just a few of the things your customers will like about the Portland dresser from North End Woodworking. Contact us today for a catalogue to see the rest of this collection, which also includes a bed with storage option.
— See ad on page 35
new Superior Dining Set from Woodcraft is where to put it — Dining room? Breakfast nook? Man Cave? The answer is, yes! This very attractive new set, which combines reclaimed Oak with dark wroughtstyle metal is at home in any of those spaces. Don’t let the sturdy metalbase chairs fool you; this is a very comfortable chair!
— See ad on page 5
<<<Ebony Woodworking shows us that there are few more eyeappealing combinations that Rustic Walnut and wroughtstyle metal! New for 2024, this 42x84 table shows all of the character that today’s customers are looking for, and in grand fashion. The 2inch tick top is extremely durable, and the dark metal base serves as the perfect complement. Stunning! — See ad on page 39
Horseshoe Bend Chair presents the Mason Chair, which features a three design in the back, with the outer two slats curving in opposite directions from the large, curved slat in the center. This sturdy, styl ish chair also features a scooped seat for added comfort.
— See ad on page 38
^^^ With the #3267 Entertainment unit, Timberside Woodworking offers a stylish yet highly functional interpretation of a an entertainment unit that showcases MidCentury Modern styling. The 3267 features plenty of display and storage space and is highlighted by the square knobs and inset doors. — See ad on page 43
Upholstery
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Guild recently made an exciting announcement. We’ll have more on that in our next issue.)
We’re well aware that a number of seating manufacturers feature upholstered seats and, in some cases, fully upholstered dining chairs. But for the purposes of this article, we’re discussing living room items.
There may be others — and we apologize in advance if we miss anyone — but three local manufacturers stand out in terms of creating “from scratch” upholstered collection: Quality Fabrications, Millwood Wholesale and Hidden Hollow Wood and Upholstery. With at least one fully upholstered model, we’ve also included Gliders By Miller. (One additional manufacturer that had been a retail supplier has switched to doing hospitality furniture only.)
Quality Fabrications has its eye not only on the residential retail market, but also the hospitality market. Their offerings are modern, with an upscale look, and cushioning that is intended to stand the test of time in high-volume applications. In business since 2000, their product line also includes Craftsman-style offerings as well as occasional tables.
In terms of concentrating mostly on upholstered lines, Hidden Hol low Wood and Upholstery could easily be considered one of the local first adopters. In fact, in our sister publication, Ultimate Guide; they are one of only two manufacturers listed under “upholstery,” and the only one that specializes in living furniture. Hidden Hollow has been in business since 2013, and offers a wide variety of items including sofas, love seats and chairs, including motion furniture and sleeper sofas. Millwood Quality Furniture also has pivoted from its traditional lineup of Craftsman-style furniture to include fully upholstered offerings as well. A multi-generation company, Millwood now offers a “Modern Shaker” line that is full upholstered, and which even includes sectional that can be produced in a number of configurations, including a
Gliders By Miller offers the #NP197 model as a fully upholstered selection.Shown here in beautiful black leather, (See ad on page 21.)
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Millwood Quality Furniture recently introduced the #93 Modern Shaker collection, which is a fully upholstered lineup that includes sofa and loveseat (shown), a pushback recliner and a swivel glider recliner.
Upholstery
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drop-down armrest/drink holder. Lastly, we also know that Gliders by Miller has at least one model of its popular glider-rockers that is fully upholstered. Formerly known as Miller Cabinet, and in business since 1989, the company rebranded a few years ago to better describe its product line. Are more fully upholstered items forthcoming? Time will tell!
Innovation and a willingness to respond to changing consumer preferences are a couple of the keys to this region’s continued success. Enhanced offerings of upholstered furniture are a great indication of that. We’re excited to see what new product introductions lie ahead. In the
(Above and right) Hidden Hollow Wood and Upholstery specializes in upholstered furniture, and has multiple selections from contemporary to traditional including sofas, loveseats recliners and sectionals. (See ad on page 28)
meantime, when customers ask if Amish furniture builders have any fully-upholstered selections, you now can answer with a resounding, “Yes!”
Here at Expressions In Woodcraft, we’ve always tried to emphasize the “local” factor when it comes to the Amish-built furniture industry. One would be hard-pressed to identify an industry that creates and sustains so many hyper-local jobs, of all kinds, than here in Ohio’s Amish Country Furniture District. We know it; you probably know it, but do your customers?
This question always has been important, because people want to support small businesses, as well as American-made products. We’ve talked about this many times over our 12-year history.
But now that we’re also squarely targeting Millennials and Gen Z, this is more important than ever. Virtually every market study, info source, etc. shows that both of these demographic groups value small businesses (as well as other key factors that we can demonstrate in this industry).
size version to display in your store.
Why are we doing this? The newest generations of buyers identifies with this type of approach to sharing information. They’ve seen infographics their whole lives, and are used to this format. We believe that helping them understand the “cottage industry” characteristics of Amish-built furniture will make them more likely to purchase this furniture over “bolt-together” brands and other imports.
