RETHINKING THE WAY WE BUY FURNITURE

By Stefanie O'Reilly Stricker

Stuck on the sofa with you

When Americans first went home to stop the spread of COVID-19, we had to rethink how we lived, worked, studied, relaxed, and stayed fit — all without leaving the house. As we spent more time inside, many decided our living spaces needed an upgrade. Our sofa was uncomfortable and our dining table was definitely not big enough for home-schooling.

Families needed to be comfortable at home, and furniture sales boomed. When stores could not replenish stock due to shortages and delays, customer choices became more limited. It was time to rethink the way we buy furniture, too. Our new, family-run business had just opened in Nashville and was ready to offer shoppers a solution.

A new way to buy furniture

O’Reilly’s Amish furniture opened in January 2020, ready to change the way people buy furniture. Everything at O’Reilly’s is made in America, with much of it handcrafted by small Amish businesses in Ohio. Throughout the pandemic, solid-wood furniture could still be created in each small Amish shop and carefully wrapped in blankets for delivery to Nashville. O’Reilly’s customers could still get what they needed and choose exactly what they wanted.

My dad, Gary O’Reilly, has been in the furniture business for more than four decades. When he and mom moved to Nashville to be closer to their grandchildren, we thought my dad might retire. However, his passion for selling Amish and American-made furniture was still strong, and he wanted to bring it to Middle Tennessee.

Gary O'Reilly, Owner

O’Reilly’s Amish Furniture opened just before the pandemic, but Gary was steadfast in his belief that this furniture would be the right choice for families, even during a pandemic. Now in his third year, my dad is so excited about the community’s response to his collections of exclusively American-made home furnishings.

Gary has built relationships with over 50 Amish builders whose solid-wood, handcrafted American furniture far exceeds the quality of the imports most stores carry today. The ability to customize is a big selling point, and many customers tell us they looked for months or years without finding what they wanted. Gary is delighted to tell them about all the ways we can customize. “I have an incredible opportunity to tell people ‘yes’ almost every time they walk through our doors,” he says.

This is not your grandfather’s Amish

Sometimes before he gets to tell a customer “yes”, Gary has to first say, “This is NOT your grandfather’s Amish.” People are surprised that our furniture isn’t just oak rocking chairs or Mission style tables. Our Amish furniture can be made in almost any style from Mid-century Modern to farmhouse to contemporary. Gary loves to confound customers’ expectations by showing tables with a “river” of glass or colored resin flowing through the middle, a four-inch thick live-edge cocktail table on a metal base, or fractal-burned table-top that looks like lightning struck it.

Amish furniture is special, and Gary knows it’s because of the builders’ true craftsmanship and attention to detail. They are artists, who are as happy to make an heirloom-quality piece as they are to create a dazzling one-of-a-kind statement piece.

O’Reilly’s solid-wood Amish furniture can be custom-ordered in oak, maple, cherry, hickory, elm, and walnut. Customers choose from over 100 different finishes and 400 pieces of hardware. Dining, bedroom, home office, living room, and entertainment pieces can be made to a customer’s exact size specifications. “Customers shouldn’t have to settle! Furniture is a big purchase, and they should get exactly what they want,” Gary says.

My dad has always believed customers deserve outstanding service from a business they can trust. He also knows that craftsmanship and quality make Amish furniture the right choice for any family. His Nashville customers seem to agree!

Stop in to see us at O’Reilly’s Amish Furniture on Highway 100 — one mile east of Loveless Cafe. n

STEFANIE O’REILLY STRICKER is the Marketing Director for her family’s small business. Stefanie and her husband are proud parents to three wonderful kids. She enjoys curling up with a good book, seeing live music, and family game nights.