When Ray and Jenny Dechant stopped at Erb’s Stove Center to look for a fireplace, they didn’t expect to one day feel like family. But that’s exactly what happened. “When you become a customer, you become almost like a family member, ” Jenny says. “We feel like we could stop in anytime and say ‘hi’ and ‘bye’ or to get a free hot dog.” Walk into Erb’s Stove Center and you’ll get the warm feeling of home from the workers’ friendly hellos to hot dogs grilling on the front porch and fires blazing in the showroom’s fireplaces. 

“Our goal is to make that every customer has a great experience every time they walk in to shop,” says Duane Erb, the store's owner. “If we put that in place, it goes a long way in making customers feel at home.” Duane’s father Ed started the business in 1982, fixing stoves for the local Amish community. The Amish-owned business slowly expanded over the years to include top-of-the-line fireplaces, stoves, grills, outdoor furniture and much more. “We’re a complete hearth shop from tools, grates, pipes and whatever you would expect,” says Duane, who recently became the store’s second-generation owner.

When the Dechants walked into Erb’s Stove Center, they knew they had found what they were looking for after two years of waiting to replace the worn-out fireplace in their family room. “We had looked around where we live and nothing appealed to us,” Ray remembers. “When we stopped in at Erbs, we saw a couple of things right away that we liked. They had a much bigger selection than anything in our area.” In Erb’s well-stocked showroom, customers can see products on display, including floor to ceiling fireplaces against warm colored walls and decor from a local gift shop. “Customers can visualize how the product would look in their home, and they can see the fireplace actually burn, not just see it in a picture,” Duane explains. Erb’s can also create custom fireplaces and work off of a drawing or picture that a customer brings in. According to Duane, the fireplaces at Erb’s have the most realistic burn in the industry, besides being heavier built and having more remote features.

The Dechants were pleasantly surprised to learn that Erb’s would come to their home in Lorraine County, an hour and a half away, to install the solid cherry, raised-panel Mendota fireplace they had chosen. (Erb’s does, in fact, install fireplaces as far away as Columbus, Wheeling and Cleveland and has sent a stove as far as Louisiana.) Having a fireplace installed in their home started with a free estimate, so the couple would know up front what everything would cost, and “there were no surprises.” That meant Duane and one of his workers climbing up in the chimney, crawling into the attic and inspecting everything to see what pipes needed to be added or replaced. “Because of the attention to detail that he was doing that day, we just knew we made the right decision,” Jenny says. “We knew we weren’t going with anyone else.” When workers from Erb’s Stove Center came to install the fireplace, the men worked quietly and steadily but took time to visit over a lunch the Dechants provided, sharing about their families and their lives. “It’s rare that you get to have someone come in to do a job for you, and you really get to know them,” Jenny says. “It’s an atmosphere they create that you feel comfortable. Most people just come in, do the job and rush off to the next one.” Just like you would for family, Erb’s takes care of its customers from start to finish and that isn’t just a one-time experience. 

With Erb’s preventative maintenance program, staff will come out every
summer, clean out the fireplace and ensure that there are no issues for the coming winter. “We look for brands that give us warranty on parts and good support if issues come up so that we can support our customers,” Duane states. “We can’t wait for winter so we can put the fireplace on more often,” Ray smiles. “If we want to warm up the house, we can throw it on for an hour. If we have winters like we’ve had, the fireplace is going to come in handy.” “It’s just beautiful,” Jenny adds. “It’s really amazing what the light inside the firebox does to brighten up a room.” 

You won’t find high pressure sales tactics at Erb’s Stove Center, but you will find trust and honesty, products that speak for themselves and 30 years of knowledge about the industry. “The products speak for themselves, and Duane was so knowledgeable that it was really amazing,” the Dechants say. “We relied on his experience, and he came through.” “You don’t feel like they’re trying to sell you something,” Ray finishes. “They’re trying to help you buy something you want. They treat people the way they want to be treated.” The people at Erb’s Stove Center know that’s what being family is all about.

Stop in at their store, located at 4100 State Route 39, Millersburg, Ohio 44654 (about one mile east of Berlin). Phone: 330-893-3903. Store hours: Monday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Sunday.

Written by www.ohacg.com