“The more things change, the more they stay the same.” That’s a popular saying that at times may sound cliché, but it applies very well at Farmerstown Furniture. “Change” is a word we hear a lot in the local hardwood furniture industry. The last five or 10 years have brought a great deal of change to the Amish-built furniture world. As consumers “age in” and “age out” of their peak furniture buying years, local furniture builders have responded to changing tastes and preferences by introducing new styles, designs and colors. 

Farmerstown Furniture definitely has witnessed those changes, and taken it all in stride. After 46 years of providing high-quality, locally built hardwood furniture to neighbors, friends and tourists alike, the folks at Farmerstown Furniture have learned that change is constant. “It used to be two or three shades of Oak or Cherry, furniture that most people were shopping for,” said Merle Hershberger, son of founder Jr. Hershberger. “Especially back in the early 1990s, people didn’t really care what the color was. They just liked the quality.” The designs were not as important back then, either. But Merle is very quick to acknowledge, “Those days are gone.” Adding, “Nowadays, people want furniture that fits in with the rest of their home, and the colors that they decorate with.” 

So Farmerstown Furniture has responded to these new (read: younger) buyers, by working with local hardwood manufacturers to stock their showroom with modern, contemporary styles, colors and designs. “If you could turn back the clock eight or 10 years, our showroom definitely would look different then than it does today,” when light-colored Oak, and dark-stained Cherry furniture dominated consumers’ choices. “It’s very different today. Shoppers don’t want the same look that maybe their parents had, or that doesn’t fit with their own style.” And that’s OK, Merle says, because “Our local furniture builders have really responded very well.” Merle does point out, though, “We still stock the more-traditional styles and colors, too; we always will, and they still sell pretty well. The younger buyers — they just want something different.” Merle continued, “It’s exciting, really. There has been a lot of innovation in the last few years, and we see things like the new ‘rustic’ styles that you never would have dreamed of five or 10 years ago.” 

Not everything has changed at Farmerstown Furniture though, like the family oriented nature of the business, and how customers are treated. Merle’s father, Jr. Hershberger, started the business in 1969, when almost no one was talking about Amish-built furniture. In fact, Farmerstown Furniture is the oldest Amish owned and operated retail furniture store in the area. Merle represents the second generation, and if you’re in the store for any length of time, you’re likely to see the third generation popping in and out of the 5,000-square-foot showroom; Merle’s children. 

As far as customer service goes, “I know it sounds simple,” says Merle, “but we have always tried to treat people like we would want to be treated.” Business experts will tell you that friendly customer service is a recipe for longevity, and it must be true, because Farmerstown Furniture now sees customers’ children and grandchildren coming back for furniture of their own. “That’s a good feeling,” Merle says. “We always enjoy it when someone recommends us, but when you start seeing the second or third generation of customers from the same family, that tells us that we’re doing something right.” 

Farmerstown Furniture is located at 3155 State Route 557, Baltic, OH 43804 (just outside Farmerstown, three miles south of Charm). Phone: 330-897-0406. Store hours: Monday-Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Sunday.

Written by www.ohacg.com