Since Joseph Weiss and his son, Hymen, founded their business in 1922, Weiss Furniture has been selling quality furnishings to citizens of the greater Pittsburgh area. The store’s location since 1952, on the corner of Depot Street and Lincoln Avenue in Latrobe, bears little resemblance to the original store’s humble beginnings. The first Weiss Furniture was in a converted horse barn. The furniture was even delivered by horses.
The Weisses built their business and their reputation by taking care of their customers. During the Great Depression, they allowed people to purchase things on the little credit they had. They trusted that the local community would pay back them back when they were able. Most of them did and they continued to shop at Weiss for the rest of their lives. That tradition of buying from one of the most trusted furniture stores in the area has been passed down for generations.
While it may have been where their parents and grandparents bought their bedroom sets, young people are still shopping at Weiss Furniture. Newlyweds looking to furnish their first house know that the employees at Weiss can help them find exactly what they need to make it their own.Whether you want a sectional sofa, an ottoman, or anything in between, they have it.
Families with children turn to Weiss Furniture for bunk bed frames, dressers, desks, and more. Ashley Furniture, Best Chair Company, Broyhill, Catnapper, Classic Flame, Twin-Star, Tristani, England, E.C.I., Hammery, Hillsdale, Jackson Furniture, Katy Creek Lighting, La-Z-Boy, Lea, Liberty Furniture, Mid-West Art and Frame; Tennessee Woodworking Company, Null, Peters-Revington Furniture, Sphinx Oriental Weavers, Serta Mattress, I-Comfort, Tempurpedic; and Southern Motion. Weiss Furniture is proudly a member of the Furniture First buying group.
If you are not able to make it to the store, check out their website: weissfurniture.com. There is an online design center where you can customize your own furniture and see what the finished result will look like. If you need something reupholstered, they have you covered. The knowledgeable folks at Weiss also repair La-Z-Boy and all other recliner brands. They offer delivery and easy financing.
To celebrate their centenary next year, Weiss is giving away a $500 gift card. Don’t miss out. Enter here.
This is also a year of transition for the venerable store. Owner Richard Dunhoff is stepping down from his responsibilities.
He wrote the following letter to thank his customers and employees for helping to make Weiss Furniture so great over the past 100 years:
Since 1976, it has been my pleasure to be associated with Weiss Furniture and the many fine people that have worked for our company over the past 100 years. These include my father, William Dunhoff; my brother, David Dunhoff; Hyman Weiss, the founder of Weiss Furniture and my uncle, and his wife, Frieda Weiss, who served as the decorator and buyer. Their business policies have been handed down for the last 100 years and have enabled our success.
Previous valued employees include John Kutcher, Ken Solomon, Bud Spears and Ed Chemski in our warehouse, delivery and repair department. Our previous bookkeeping staff included Coletta Klingensmith, Cheryl Munchinski, Marsha Landsbaugh and Carol Szalankiewicz. Our previous sales staff included Merle Deets, John Cavanaugh, Al Solomon, Chuck Landsbaugh, Ron Libengood, Irv Shapiro, Bryan Lazur, J. Don Miller, Nancy Garmon, Bo Schroll, Bill Pierdominici and Marian Stokes. Memorable store managers were Norman Neiderhiser and Fred McCloy. It was a true pleasure to work with all of the past and present employees.
I would like to thank my current staff of Weiss Furniture, as they have worked tirelessly to carry the store through the current pandemic.
Thank you to:
Rick Leonard – Store manager
Toni Baca Lupchinsky – Office manager
Peggy Ryan, Mark Shedlock (Waz), Maria Peluso, Lou Auer and my daughter, Hayley Dunhoff – Sales Staff
Sherry Heining, Anastasia Hruby, Sara Beanner, Betty Jean Smith and Cindy Shaffer – Office Staff
Scott Leonard and Jerry Loveridge – Repair Department
Eugene Irvin, Tom Piper and Jakob Riggle – Delivery and Warehouse Department
Lastly, I’d like to thank the fine people of Latrobe and the surrounding areas. Our customers have supported us in good times and bad. They have kept us going for the last 100 years. Mostly, they have been a pleasure to work with and for; and I have had fun along with many good memories.
Weiss Furniture has been my home for the past 45 years. If it were up to me, I would stay forever. Unfortunately, my body says that it is time to say goodbye. I have been diagnosed with ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease. I have lost my ability to speak; walking is becoming more difficult. This was my last year as head of Weiss Furniture Company.
Good luck to my successors and I wish you best of luck for another hundred years of business.
Richard Dunhoff
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